The Golden Sparrow on Saturday 15/08/2014

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PUNE, AUGUST 15, 2014 | www.goldensparrow.com

Team TGS wishes its readers a Happy Independence Day ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

First Things First

What does being responsible to the nation mean to you?

We can do something for our country only when we first strengthen ourselves within. Change without follows change within.

See Spotlight, p13

Determined to bring about a change in the country, the youth of today, are prepared to carry forward the baton of a brighter tomorrow with enthusiasm and fervour.

Modi not to address US Congress

Helpline launch to mark 1st Dabholkar death anniversary TGS NEWS SERVICE

BY ARUN KUMAR

The Maharashtra Andhashrddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) will launch a 24x7 helpline to reach out to citizens and victims of various superstitions, cheating, mental depression and those needing urgent assistance, on August 20, 2014, the fi rst death anniversary of the Samiti’s founder Dr Narendra Dabholkar.

Speaking to The Golden Sparrow on Saturday, MANS state executive president Avinash Patil said the helpline (cellphone number) will be released on that day. Cases of cheating, superstitious practices, black magic remedies will be addressed on the helpline.

Since MANS volunteers are also equipped to deal with mental depression, such issues would also be addressed. Wherever necessary, police complaints would be fi led, he said.

WA S H I N G TON: Prime minister Narendra Modi will not be addressing the US Congress when he comes calling September end for a summit with President Narendra Modi Barack Obama.

W i t h lawmakers keen to get away from Washington ahead of the November Congressional elections, the Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner has sent a ‘welcome but’ invitation to Modi.

In a July 30 letter, Boehner told Modi that he was writing to him “for the purpose of making you aware of the interest that exists in the US House

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of Representatives in inviting you to address a Joint Meeting of Congress at some future date.”

“If not for the unpredictability of the House schedule in late September of this year, an invitation for you to address a Joint Meeting during your upcoming trip to the United States would have been extended,” he wrote.

“I would be very interested in exploring with you the possibility of a visit to the United States Capitol and an address to a Joint Meeting of Congress should your travels bring you back to our country in the months and years ahead,” Boehner added.

The last two Indian prime ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, both addressed a joint session of the two chambers, viewed as the highest honour Congress can bestow on a foreign head of state.

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Kabaddi revival spells hope for Pravin Newale

The 31-year-old international player had given up on the game four years ago ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish PUNE: Kabaddi is truly among the national games of India as are kho-kho and wrestling. The accomplished players have been mostly confined to village akhadas, who never dreamt that this game would one day bring money, glamour and fame their way.

With the launch of Pro Kabaddi league, this traditional game has overnight shot into the limelight. Call it a modern makeover with level-ground, matted indoor stadiums and bright lights. The new found revival has also attracted veteran Pravin Newale, who had given up the game four years ago.

The 31-year-old international player had quit the game, after failing to make it to the Indian squad for the Asian Games in 2010. But, thanks to the league, this player is back in action with Puneri Paltan.

Though, the team’s performance has lacked finesse and grit, Newale has impressed spectators with his acrobatic moves and swift raids. His skills have caught the eye of the technical committee and he has even claimed the man of the match honours. He has even gained popularity on the social media, and fans have dedicated a Facebook page to him.

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THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

Enabling disabled children to sit on their own P 11

PUNE

At whatever level we are at we are changing the balance of power in favor of the poor and women. One step is enough. Step by step.

– Ela Bhat, social reformer

PMC mops up `32 cr from illegal constructions P5

Celebrating Ganeshotsav, the positive way Pune’s foremost Ganapati mandal, the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust, has been playing a valuable role in promoting eco-friendly celebrations during the annual Ganeshotsav festivities.

The trust has also been undertaking various social initiatives financed by the offerings in cash and kind made by the devout to the city’s most popular Dagdusheth Ganapati.

It was 28 years ago that the trust organised a competition among the various Ganapati mandals in the city to select the best themes and decorations of the year. Some years ago, it initiated the eco-friendly Ganeshotsav competition among housing societies in the city.

Every year, the trust give away prizes to housing societies who celebrate the festival in the best eco-friendly manner during the preceding year. The top prizes this year went to Subhashnagar Housing Society at Sadashiv Peth, Vanaz Pariwar from Paud Road area and Gulmohar Housing Society at Dhankawdi. The three societies were awarded `10,000 each. Nine other societies were also given prizes under other categories at a function presided over by Pune police commissioner Satish Mathur recently.

The Trust’s treasurer Mahesh Suryawanshi said that the idol of Dagdusheth Ganapati during the festival is made from eco-friendly clay called ‘Shadumati’. Given the negative trends that had been influencing this festival in the past, the Trust’s founder president Tatyasaheb Godse and his colleague discussed the issue with eminent citizens and decided to follow certain norms.

They also decided to stage a competition among mandals. The ecofriendly Ganeshotsav contest is one such initiative that was proposed by the late superstition eradication crusader Dr

The beginning...

The celebrations associated with Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati has a rich history of 122 years. In 1893, Dagdusheth Halwai, a sweetmart vendor, installed an idol of Ganesha (Bahulichya Haudacha Ganapati) and started celebrating the festival. After two years, Dagdusheth handed over the responsibility of holding the festival to a panel. Late Pratap Baburao Godse, popularly known as Tatyasaheb, founded the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust in 1968 by installing a new idol of clay and was the president of the trust for over 40 years. In 1984, Yatyasaheb Godase built a small temple for the idol near Faraskhana police station and the temple became a famous spot for devotees. Tatyasaheb launched many philanthropic works from temple offerings. The Trust holds many cultural events and is involved in social service, like running free ambulance service in Pune city, night schools and distributing school uniforms and educational materials for needy children, constructing orphanages and old age homes besides opening an ITI for rural youth in Kondhwa. The temple trust’s Gyanvardhan Abhiyan covers the educational responsibility of 500 children and takes care of patients admitted to Sasoon hospital.

Pune police commissioner Satish Mathur (centre) felicitated the women members of Hind Tarun Mandal of Main Street in Camp for coming first in a competition organised by Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust during the Ganeshotsav in 2013. Pune mayor Chanchala Kodre also attended the function held at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch on Tuesday

Narendra Dabholkar. This contest is open to housing societies from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Suryawanshi said.

The contest carries a total of Rs 1.30 lakh in prizes and the basic criterion is to hold the festival in an eco-friendly manner. Strict adherence to the rules laid down by the civic body are taken into account, such as segregation of wet and dry garbage, rainwater harvesting, use of solar system and installation of a satisfactory security arrangement.

Suryawanshi said that the social initiative has been accepted by about 150 housing societies in and around Pune city and over 100 in the PimpriChinchwad area in the past four years.

Spreading social message Prakalpa Society at Kothrud has installed a solar power lighting system from the funds collected during the Ganeshotsav in the past three years.

Ganga Dham Co-op Housing Society at Market Yard is planning to install a rainwater harvesting system. The residents of Sarita Vihar Society use the water supplied by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) only for drinking and has a borewell for other purposes.

The members of Daisy Daffodil Housing Society on Sinhagad Road belong to different states following different religious traditions, but celebrate the festivals together. They also collect foodgrains every month and donate it to NGOs working for orphanages and the underprivileged.

The Natraj Co-op Housing Society on Sinhagad Road is providing special assistance to the elders and lonely people.

Many prize-winning societies like Subhashnagar Colony, Vanaz Pariwar, Gulmohar Society, Shri Sadashiv Society, Pandurang Colony, Nrisihsaraswati Society, Vidya Sagar

Society, Suvarna Nagari, Manasi Apartment and Shri Ram Society have installed solid waste management systems that are maintained by residents.

If one had just two adjectives to best describe Anjali Tara Babanrao Pawar, they would have to be spunky and assiduous. Forthright, a fighter and ‘someone with soul’ would be the other words that exemplify the woman who has made it her life’s mission to fight injustice.

As a young and spirited student of social work, Pawar was quick to recognise that she couldn’t bear to see injustice around her.

She grew up seeing her father fight for the farmers’ rights.

Today, she primarily works in the field of child sexual abuse (CSA) and child trafficking.

Both are interlinked to a large extent. Having uncovered the horrors of child trafficking through adoption centres, she is working relentlessly to expose those involved in these heinous crimes since the time she took the mission eight years ago.

“Adoption has been an age-old concept and people used to adopt children from their own families in the olden days. But children are sold nowadays under the guise of ‘child protection’ by changing their name, identity and

nationality,” she said.

Pawar started the NGO Against Child Trafficking (ACT) in 2008 with a Bulgarian national and an adopted Indian, and has helped 34 children reunite with their biological parents in the past six years.

ACT has found that in international adoption, most children are either stolen or kidnapped. “Children are commodities.

They have a price tag.

There is a demand from Europe, the US and Australia, and people in India are ready to sell them. Indian children are sold for a whopping 5,000 USD and adoption centres across India are involved,” she said.

She recounts the horror tale of an elderly woman in Satara whose two grand-daughters were kidnapped. The police refused to register a case and eventually Pawar found that they have been sent to Madrid, Spain by an adoption centre.

“The names and identities of the girls have been changed and the adoptive parents are refusing to cooperate to return them. The police personnel have told the grandmother that they (the girls) are in a better place. ‘Why do you want them back? You are after

Pawar believes that international adoption should be the last resort for children

The Trust’s initiatives The Trust has been providing food to 1,200 patients of Sassoon Hospital since September 2013. It also provides free ambulance service to patients. The trust has spent `4 crore to renovate the women and children’s wards, and operation theatres. It is also providing free medical treatment to the underprivileged at the hospital. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have a private trust supporting a government hospital in such a large scale. Financial support was provided by the trust for cleaning of the dam reservoir at Pingory in Purandar taluka in May 2013. It also funds for the e-learning facility for schools in villages, holds farmer training camps, projects promoting plantations on hill top/hill slopes near dam backwaters. The trust plans to promote agri tourism and generate employment in Pingory village.

Giving kids home, happiness, hope From five children in 2005, Nachiket Balgram provides shelter to over 100 today ARCHANA DAHIWAL @ArchanaDahiwal

Anjali Tara Babanrao Pawar has helped 34 children reunite with their biological parents

BY RITU GOYAL HARISH @ritugh

According to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the city’s Lohegaon airport sees an average of 9,200 passengers every day. As the crowded airport does not have an ambulance facility, the officials asked the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust for providing the service. A proposal was forwarded to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). AAI approved the proposal and the temple trust started the 24x7 free ambulance service from July 2014.

enews.mediasurvices@gmail.com

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

A strong voice against adoption rackets

24x7 free ambulance service at airport

all just a vegetable vendor’ they ask her,” Pawar said.

“If I steal your phone, I will be caught.

But if I steal your child, no one can catch me or even find your child,” Pawar said.

Pawar believes that international adoption should be the last resort and children should be given quality institutional care in their own country.

“The Indian government must be punished for abandoning these children.

Many of them suffer grievous sexual abuse at the hands of the adoptive father, brothers and relatives,” she said pointing to a case from Ambernath where the girl, now 30 years old, is grappling deep psychological scars due to the abuse she faced. With India having no treaty with most countries, children once adopted cannot be returned to their biological parents.

“Children’s issues don’t get any attention even internationally,” she said questioning the logic of women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi stating that international adoptions must go up.

In exposing the murkier side of child adoption, Pawar has been attacked, beaten and assaulted. Her mother wants her to be safe because ‘only if you’re alive you can do good work’.

But Pawar is unfazed. “I can’t see injustice,” she said.

Yes, ‘fearless’ is the adjective we forgot to mention at the beginning to describe her. ritugoyalharish@gmail.com

Giving deprived children hope and changing this world, is what underlines Nachiket Balgram’s mission. The orphanage near Akurdi railway station is home to 100 destitute children.

The Balgram provides a homelike environment to children till they turn 18.

Rahul Smruti Manav Seva Pratishthan started the orphanage with five children, including four found at Daund railway station, in 2001. The Trust’s founder president is 75-year-old Bhagchandra Bramhecha, a scientist who was working with National Chemical Laboratory (NCL).

Bramhecha is fondly called ‘Bapuji’ by the 100 children in the age group of 3-5 years who now stay at the Balgram’s three branches at Akurdi, Kamshet and Kolhapur.

“We want every child to become independent and confident.

Our focus is on character building. As they are young, we have to nurture them tenderly with love and affection. They are our future,” he said.

Regarding their education, Bramhecha said, “About 25 boys and girls are leading a decent life after completing education from our centre. One student is doing a master’s degree in social work after getting a distinction in MA Sociology and is also working with a reputed fi rm. Another student completed his graduation in psychology. These grown-ups are role models for the younger ones in Nachiket. The girls are given technical vocational courses.”

He said that these initiatives are a small step towards changing the society.

The children at the centre include those who have lost their parents

in the Mandhar Devi stampede in five energy levels (Panch kosh) and 2005 and sons and daughters of jail comprises yoga, gymnastic exercises, inmates. meditation, Surya Namaskar and The orphanage prayers,” Bramhecha is managed by six said. women, including The trust invites a house mother, professionals for three managers and teaching various arts, supervisory staff. vocational training and They live with the spiritual guidance. The children.

Social girls are given selforganisations and defense training. A cow personalities extend shed at the Balgram assistance to the helps teach children Balgram. how to take care of The Balgram animals and for dairy had adopted a valuerequirements. based primary school - BHAGCHANDRA BRAMHECHA Corporates and concept. well-wishers extend “The day begins assistance to Nachiket from 5 am and 10 pm is bedtime. Each Balgram, which plans to build an hour is programmed and monitored. orphanage and an old age home The daily routine is based on the under one roof. ancient concept of development of archana.dahiwal@gmail.com

“As they are young, we have to nurture them with love and affection.”

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

BY ASHOK BHAT @ashok_bhat

RAHUL RAUT

Housing societies that follow eco-friendly norms during the festival have been winning prizes in the contest started by Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust 28 years ago

Bhagchandra Bramhecha (centre) is fondly called ‘Bapuji’ by the children staying at the Balgram

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

With over 600 colleges and 6 universities, Pune has foreign students from more than 60 countries.

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

As politicos spin metro dreams, traffic congestion worsens city Traffic Police report lists 158 bottlenecks on Pune roads GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke

Ambassador of the European Union to India, João Cravinho, visited the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies in Savitribai Phule Pune University to speak to the students and faculty members about the European Union as a Security Actor

RSS aids Malin rehabilitation After working for eight days in the landslide-hit village of Malin in Ambegaon taluka, the Vishwa Samwad Kendra has decided to continue their support to the villagers and help them re-build their home and farms.

The members of RSS and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram assisted the rescue teams at the village. RSS district convenor Sandeep Jadhav said that the organisation will now work for the rehabilitation of the Malin residents.

A proposal for this purpose has been submitted to the district authorities for their consideration.

At the behest of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the city traffic police have submitted a detailed report pinpointing the causes for traffic jams in the city. The report was submitted to Pune mayor Chanchala Kodre listing 158 spots where traffic jams are a regular.

The report was submitted by Inspector (Traffic) R S Kamire two days ago. It gives details of the 158 spots in the city where infrastructural issues are causing traffic jams.

Another 73 spots suffer from water-logging which causes traffic snarls. Dattawadi and Swargate are among the chaotic areas with the maximum number of infrastructural issues.

Issues like non — functioning traffic signals, absence of lane marking, absence of road

Matrimonial site wins Manthan award Deputy Regional Transport Officer Anil Valiv, who runs a matrimonial website for HIV+ persons was bestowed with Manthan South West India Award for his eNGO initiative.

Valiv runs the website ‘PositiveSaathi.com’. He also organises gettogethers for HIV+ persons seeking life-partners.

PositiveSaathi.com won from among the 170+ nominations from across 11 states in India.

This website is the first dedicated online matrimony portal for people living with HIV.

Parking indiscipline invites fines The city traffic police initiated an aggressive drive against drivers of four wheelers parked in the no parking areas on the city roads by putting jammers to them.

Beginning Wednesday, jammers were put on the wheels of more than 500 cars parked wrongly on the main city arteries in various localities. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sarang Avad said the action was initiated as these vehicles were causing traffic snarls on the city roads. Traffic police constables took upto two hours to address each of the vehicles to fine the occupants or drivers. Avad said the drive will continue over the next few days and more jammers have been sought for further action. The city traffic police presently have 325 jammers and another 150 have been ordered to intensify the action.

Traffic jam at SNDT, Nalstop, Paud Road

dividers, huge potholes, wrong road marking and other factors have been cited in the report.

Kamire said that the report lists infrastructural issues traffic police division wise. Every part of the city faces traffic

jams, including areas under Samarth traffic division, Vishrambaug, Deccan, Shivajinagar, Cantonment , Faraskhana , Kothrud , Warje and the Katraj-Dehu bypass.

Other areas with traffic congestion

Traffic jams on the rise in city: Survey Inadequate road infra structure and rising vehicular population is intensifying traffic congestion on the city roads.

Adding to this are other factors such as indiscipline, indadequate traffic policing, incomplete civic works, poor synchronization of traffic signals and inefficient public transport.

The survey among 600 respondents was conducted by Mantra Research.

Shirish Phadatare and Medha Tadpatrikar who conducted the survey during June-

The Big I-Day Ride!

Bikers of Low Tolerance aka BOLT are lending their hand to the underprivileged this Independence Day. From people with physical disabilities to kids the 25 riders will be taking a select few for a ride. They are being trained and mentored by their parents and BOLT seniors Arvind Shinde, Nain Israni, Jimmy Patel and Rafiq aka Raju Sheikh. Pratik Shinde will be leading this endeavour.

Young innovators enthral audience at Orchid School P7

RAHUL RAUT

Signposts

For the love of food & everything gastronomic P6

July 2014, said respondents included pedestrian, cyclists, two wheelers riders, motorists, bus and auto drivers.

The majority of respondents said road infrastructure and traffic indiscipline were the main reasons for the rising traffic congestion. This was followed by lax and poor traffic policing .

Asked for solutions, 52 % citizens said flyovers were needed in different parts of the city. Also needed were affordable parking bays, higher fines for traffic

Jain Federation Golden Jubilee

To celebrate its Golden Jubilee, the Federation is staging an event on Sunday at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly The Jain Social Group’s International Federation will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Sunday at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch. Formed with just four members on January 1, 1965, the Federation has grown to about 410 groups all over the county, with 60,000 members. The Federation also has more than 15 groups abroad in the United States, London, Dubai, Kuwait and Africa.

The Federation has been striving for the unity of the Jain community

by providing assistance during natural calamities, helping people in distress, supporting talent, giving scholarships to deserving students through the EDUCON project and providing water in remote villages through their Jaldhara project.

“It gives me immense pleasure to celebrate the Federation’s Golden Jubilee.

On Sunday, the Maharashtra Post Master will be unveiling a special envelope with the Jain Group monogram on it, marking the completion of 50 glorious years,” said Sharad B Shah, International President of Jain Social Group. editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com

Trump unveils housing project in Pune RAHUL RAUT

Donald Trump, Chairman and President of the Trump Organisation

BY BARNALEE HANDIQUE @barnalee “India is a great country. The market is positive and we are planning to invest more in the country. After the new government at the centre, things are looking up. The view of the country for outsiders is positive and there will be more investors in the near future,” said Donald Trump, Chairman and President of the Trump Organisation on his maiden visit to the city, for the launch of Trump Towers Pune, developed by Panchshil Realty.

Speaking about the association with Panchshil Realty, 68-yearold Trump said, “A lot of research has gone before the Trump brand joined hands with Panchshil Realty. As a businessman I always look for long-term relationships which I have found in Panchshil Realty.

We knew we were dealing with the best in the country and were fairly surprised by the quality of work. Atul Chordia, chairman, Panchshil Realty, is a man with a great vision and mission. He is passionate

about his work which can be seen in the construction work he has done in the city and outside.”

The deal between Trump and Panchshil Realty was signed on February 12, 2012.

Trump Towers Pune at Kalyanigar features modern design, lavish amenities and quality service. It comprises two 23 storey buildings with 46 single-floor residences measuring 6,100 square ft each. In the initial phase, the price per square feet was Rs 17,000 which has gone upto Rs 22,000 per sq ft.

The second tower will be launched in the second quarter of next year.

Asked if he was planning to contest the US Presidential elections again, Trump said, “In the last elections, I contested against Obama. He won and he is doing great work. As for now I can only say that life is great and full of opportunities. You never know what will happen next. I love what I am doing- construction and I am happy with it.” barnalee.handique @goldensparrow.com

violation and better policing.

Seventy per cent of the respondents blamed Pune Municipal Corporation and 14% blamed the State government for delays in traffic infrastructure projects.

About 58 per cent of respondents also accepted that citizens were equally responsible for gross traffic indiscipline including driving and speaking on cell phones (22 %), breaking traffic signals (18 %) and parking in “no parking” or zebra crossings (16 % & 15% respectively).

include Swargate, Dattawadi, Sahakarnagar, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Koregaon Park, Bund Garden, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Wanowrie, Khadki, Kondhwa, Chatushrungi and Vishwantwadi.

The most congested spots were Swargate and Dattawadi, followed by Chatushrungi and Bund Garden traffic divisions. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

Ekla Chalo Re… Walk alone P8

Signposts Bhupen Hazarika Award 2014

Eco-friendly Ganesha workshop Muktangan Exploratory Science Centre is holding an eco-friendly Ganesha workshop at the Senapati Bapat Road branch at 3 pm on August 16.

This workshop will highlight why one should use ‘Shadu’ and where it comes from. Participants will be educated on why the idol should not be immersed in water. It is open for students of Class V and above and will cost `450 which will include material and method of teaching. For information call at 25677962/ 25677645.

Students tie rakhis to soldiers The students of Class II of Sadhu Vaswani International School (Pradhikaran, Pimpri) went to the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, Khadki to tie rakhis to the war injured soldiers and war veterans. With their little hands, they also gave coconut sweets (karanji) to them. Col R K Mukherjee, head of the Rehab Centre, said, “These soldiers don’t need sympathy for their injuries.

They are proud that they did something for the nation.” Principal of Sadhu Vaswani International School, Aarti Patil said, “Even though our kids are small, I am sure when they grow up, they will remember this visit and will also realise the importance of these soldier.” Dada JP Vaswani, who is recovering from illness, expressed his happiness about the kid’s gesture and said, “Their words are simple and flow out of the hearts which know no manipulations.”

Parsi population is growing in the city, says Panchayat

Parsis enjoy a quiet life, they love their culture and are striving to keep it alive

BY PRACHI BARI @prachibari

Parsi Panchayats push for resurgence The Parsi Panchayat in Mumbai as well as Pune are also

Pune has seen a considerably rise in the now pushing for Parsi resurgence of going back to the number of Parsis in the last five years. roots. The Parsi Community is now split in Mumbai with The number of Parsis in Pune has crossed Orthodox Parsis and the unconventional ones who have the 10,000 mark and the Poona Parsee married out of the community. The orthodox Parsis Panchayat is expecting more people to are now pushing for an exclusive world view that a migrate here.

Parsee should marry within the community and follow Yezdi Mehta recalls Pune been the the tradition. The committee members are making a place for him right since he was 7 years conscious attempt to indoctrinate the youth by holding old. “My parents came from a small get – togethers and facilitating the community. village near Surat where there was no But the Poona Parsi Panchayat official states that they proper education and Pune was the only have always been advocating the Parsi community to place he knew that offered a boarding marry within the community and has also been holding school in JN Petit school, thus I only classes for teaching the young about their religion. know Pune as my place where I belong.

“We also take care of our community by giving them There have been vast changes in the Pune facilities like housing blocks. We provide education then and now but this is the city which loans to deserving students and also help the senior educated me and also where I found my citizens with medical loans but it is not enough. wife, who is also a Parsi,” he said.

Although we have housing of 232 flats, we still need “Parsis lead a very quiet life. We more housing blocks and hoping to build more. We also are a community who enjoys living life, run a hostel for students (boys) in camp and also give eating and being happy. We are a very out a monthly dole for the poor in our community. But minuscule community which keeps to what we need is a old age home to provide for the many its own and we don’t like to interfere single senior citizens as well if we could build a hospital much,” states Nilufer Mehta, his wife. or have a tie-up with one¸ it would help the growing They were at the oldest Agiary in Rasta number of Parsees making Pune their residence,” stated Peth, Sardar Sorabjee Ratanjee Patel an official.

Parsi families in the city are all set to to celebrate their New Year, Pateti . (From left) Er. Jimmy Udwadia, Daremaher, which is 167 years old. The Er. Kekiratansha Kotwal, Nilufer Kotwal and Kashmira Bhadha family observes the ‘Muktad’ which lasts for 10 days.

“Muktad are the ruvans or souls priest of the Agairy. brown gravy). Then in the evening, the For Kotwal, it was retirement and Pune. It is close to Mumbai and many of the departed visit the Earth. It is The 10th day, the Muktad which community also stages a play which is being close to his grandchildren that Parsis from railway families have found considered the duty of their living kin means Pateti, is also a day of repentance, followed by a lavish dinner. We Parsis made him leave Navsari and come to Pune to be the right city to live in. to welcome and honour them it’s the day which changes every love our food, and love to eat and be Pune and he is happy about his decision.

Doctor said that many Parsi women by the observance of various four years, after which is our happy,” explains Mehta.

Kashmira Badha shifted to Pune are far more independent than the ceremonies. Each departed New Year. Many people “Did you know that there are three from Mumbai to take care of her ailing conventional societies. “Parsis are not soul has his/her individual wrongly wish us Pateti more Agiarys in Pune? asks Er. Jimmy parents in 1996. “It was a choice that quite programmed to follow the rite of vase, which may be a Mubarak which is M Udwadia, adding “but we are the I made and never regretted it. We are passage of a job and marriage. Besides simple copper one or an wrong,” he explains. oldest Agairy followed by Jamshetji still following our customs and religious we are very minuscule community and elaborately carved silver In a typical Parsi Jeejibhoy Agairy opposite JJ Garden, prayers here. We hold get-togethers and finding the right person, equally well Parsi New Year, one. Families book tables household, there is a Kadmin Shahenshahi Anjuman Agairy visit family and friends just the way we educated as a way bit difficult. Parsi Pateti is on at their respective Fire rangoli in the courtyard which is on Sachapir street and The Petit used to in Mumbai. Here we have three women are seen to be more enterprising Aug 18 Temples, where these vases or walkway, toran at the Dadgha at the Petit school.”

Parsi colonies, namely Adheshir Baug, but now days a lot of youth of both sexes are kept, filled with fresh well entrance, flowers and diva Udwadia feels that Pune has a centre Nana Path Parsi Colony and Lullanagar are doing well be it art, music, and not water that is changed daily. For, inside the house. “We then go to charmand so many Parsis have settled Parsi Colony.” really following the conventional job it is in this water that the souls reside the fire temple to pray and then settle for down here. “Most of them are from Hutokshi Doctor shifted from set up of holding a government jobs or during their ten-day earthly sojourn,” a good lunch of yellow daal and white Gujarat and Mumbai and Pune offered Mumbai to Pune some years ago. She banking jobs,” she said. explained Er. Kekiratansha Kotwal, rice with fish or prawns Pattiya (a thick a good living space for many.” too came to look after her parents in prachibari@gmail.com PUNE, AUG

UST 9, 201

16 (TGS LIFE

• Want to become an entrepreneur? For mentoring advice, write to our associates: mentoring@pune.tie.org • Get weekly events listed: listings.tgslife@gmail.com

SCIENCE superstition

‘Making the spor was a big task t creditable ’ P 15

Stung by the what he says controversy generated is inaccurate by Dr Bhatkar views, emin reporting of said. He gave ent his of a compute Bhatkar has computer scientist Dr r, where the the analogy Vijay resolved to be seen but establish a class Centre not the softw hardware can worl for Research hardware is are. Even if in Pune. in Consciou ddestroyed, the sness tech used to enab This Centre le the data and nology can be will escape thro function unde the software ISpace Indi ugh r the a lodge in anot wireless transmission to which he head International Multiver her compute and sity r. on the convs and will conduct resea “It is in this context that rch was created spiritualism. ergence of science the Internet when the and US if the Russ A number ians bombed thought that of leading then all the the Pentagon India and scientists from intelligence , abro That was would be with this cent ad will be asso how the lost. ciated Internet proto was born,” exclusive inter re, Dr Bhatkar said he col in note view an d. Th to The consciousnes on Saturday s will look e research in . He said that Golden Sparrow the soul, being estab such centres mind, med into aspects of lished in the are itation, life deat Europe and h Unit and ed States, after other such Russia. science and issues. “Tod “In fact, I spirituality ay separately; are perceived research into want to conduct scien but tific the concept of knowledg the ancient Indian syste samwedha’ of ‘Swae and ‘Chaitany Science searc treats them as integ m mentioned a Shakti’ hes the natu ral. by reality. Spir re of external Dnyaneshwari Sant Dnyaneshwar in as itual the . it that is tryin ism tries to search, who my life from This shall be the miss g to search. ion of here on,” he spiritualism ‘Science with is said.

“This cont is out roversy has Vivekananda half knowledge’. Swa me to start inspired this centre. the first time expressed this thought mi issues of cons It will go for in his Chic into ciousness, science and ago talk that life after deat spiri tualism mus h,” together,” he t be pursued said.

E DESIGN

• The Way Forward with compassion & hope wayforward@ goldensparrow.com

If we ignore rule only have trag s, we will edies: Madha Gadgil, ecol v ogist P3

THEREFOR

• Articles for the Relationships page relationships@ goldensparrow.com, relationships.tgs@gmail.com

Transformi ng children wit the lives of street h education P2

The rupee was trading at a low on Frid ay, dropping five-month dollar, as foreign fund to 61.70 to a s continue sell their d to stocks and fresh conc emerged erns over the situation After plun in Iraq. ging to its lowest leve March 5 l since with a drop of as muc 38 paise over the h as prev ious close, rupee reco vered a bit the to 61.61 but sentimen ts remaine the d weak Indian curr for the ency.

BY FP POL

ITICS overdrive havi Gujarat gove ng come from the form Maharashtra rnment unde er chief aggr r Mod minister Prith essive cam paigning and i, whose Chavan, whoviraj face publicity in-yourblitz on an over is Lok Sabha elect krieg ahead of the drive Con ions is bein to alter the gres public Mod smen as the key reasog seen by perception i wave. n for the of his gove But while rnment, taken a leaf his government may appears Jaswant Sin have from Modi’s set to ration for the book take on hospitalis gh polls, the prim in prepaprim Prithviraj minister Nare e will not be the e ed Chavan focus of the minister ndra NCP Modi. With Con cam Former unio the the chie paign for the assem gressn minister rebe bly Con llion f minister has polls, gress minister Jaswant Sing of was hosp said. italised afte Narayan Ran senior h In safely dous r suffering head injur e now said, an inter view to Min ed, and the y, an offic a issue of his t, Chavan “Modi is not leadership ial said Frid (Singh) has of the state own min ay. “He sustained ister of Mah going to be the chief firmly settl the high com and has a head injur ed by of arashtra, so mand, Cha been adm y him bein no ques van gave a serie of inter view itted to the said a doct s in which s campaig g made the focal poin tion ICU,” or of the he did not away from t ning of Army Rese our and Refe .

We will go takin shy with rral Hospita arch to the the work chief minister g on the former Guja l where the mer Bha we have done people rat past . ratiya Jana forfive years. in the The ta Party leader was We will Maharashtra (BJP) admitted is currently government Maharashtra was the tell the people, early Frid ay. number one and will main blitzkrieg, with on an image-buildin state tain its num g the idea for ero uno statu the publicity if we are voted back s to power.”

Contd on p 10

Education must drive growth and innovation The initiative by the corporate sector to directly reach out to rural India needs to be appreciated. This connect is about setting the individual free and making the nation head into the future.

The education system may look compact but we are seeing more and more wastage of student hours.

The book-based system is producing graduates like a conveyor belt system but many of them simply lack in basic skills. Education is wasted if one just gains knowledge but still lacks the basic skills to use the same. School students are getting very high percentages but then find the going tough at higher levels. By giving students the chance to develop skills at a young age, we are setting a trend that will liberate the socio-economic divide. We have many engineering students but innovative progress is lacking. Countries like China and Japan encourage the thinking mind that is innovative.

A lot of brilliant minds in India get wasted because they get trapped in an education of rote learning.

Teachers and the industry have

to come together to create a world of constructive education. The ability to think and analyze should be encouraged .We are now heading into a new zone of technical expertise.

If our minds can migrate outside India and do well then we seriously need to do a rethink. We need to hold back our best minds to create an India that can actually think on its own and not just ape already established concepts. True independence is when the freedom is used and the liberty of a thinking mind is encouraged.

- PKV Chirukandan (Gets prize for best letter)

Rakhi celebrations

The idea of a single girl child tying a rakhi to her mother/sister is interesting given the changes happening all round in Indian society (As India changes, so does Rakshabandhan, TGS, Aug. 9). At the same time such children can experience the love of a brother by tying rakhi to children in an orphanage or in the neighbourhood. For instance I have a

As India ch a Rakshaban nges, so does dhan RAHUL RAUT

• Letters to the Editor, email: editor_tgs@ goldensparrow.com; editor_tgs@gmail.com by post: The Editor, The Golden Sparrow on Saturday, 16411 Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411030, (Best letter gets a weekly prize)

PUNE’S PE OPLE been India head Joe King. 2014 WITH A PUhas CITY RPOSE a year of many firsts for Audi. Audi SPORTS India completed their best-ever annual sales (10,002) and financial-year sales (10,126).

Well-know n scientist Dr Vijay Bhatk position on ar clarifies the ‘planchette his controversy’ Audi began the year with the Dr Narendra while praisin Dabholkar’s g work. See Spo tlight, P 13 introduction of the most powerful Audi Centre for Res model from its product range - Audi Consciousn earch in ess planned RS 7 Sportback. Audi also introduced Can they co-exist? the new Audi A8 L in May 2014.

Audi also inaugurated the country’s largest pre-owned luxury car showroom, ‘Audi Approved: plus’ in Gurgaon in April. Audi India plans to expand its network to 40 dealerships by Kapil Pashankar and Pooja Chopra at the launch of Audi A3 Sedan in the city on Tuesday the endSig ofn2014. posts Modi not o Rupee dr op u five-mon s to r fo cu th low s for Maha poll s: Chavan editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com NTAGE BY

durch Technik (advancement through technology)’ in every single aspect, especially in the areas of design, ultra-lightweight technology, efficient drivetrains, high-end multimedia and infotainment systems. We are confident that the Audi A3 Sedan is the right product at the right time and will set new benchmarks,” said Audi

) | PRICE: `5

PHOTOMO

car segment, the vehicle is priced at `23,95,000 (ex-showroom Pune).

“In line with our customer-centric approach, we decided to launch the sedan version of the Audi A3 which is a segment up from the compact luxury hatchback.

Sporty, stylish and path-breaking, the Audi A3 Sedan showcases Audi’s ‘Vorsprung

Letters to the Editor

Our newspaper is interactive and you are welcome to write in to our various segments:

om

PAGES: 16+

The luxury car manufacturer launches compact, sporty and progressive Audi A3 Sedan

TGS is interactive

4 | www.g olde

nsparrow.c

A new gem from Audi’s stable Leading luxury car manufacturer Audi has launched its A3 Sedan, the first compact luxury sedan to be introduced in India, on Tuesday. Adjudged the World Car of the Year 2014, the Audi A3 Sedan is packaged into a youthful design, visionary technology and luxurious performance. Setting a new benchmarks in the compact luxury

“Janawani’s initiative of getting people together for a voluntary forum for Pune is noteworthy. It has truly become the voice of the people with a sense of responsibility and long term commitment.”

- Kiran Kalamdani, architect

Budding scientists display their skills at science expo P7

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

The prestigious Bhupen Hajarika Award, presented by Sarhad, will be awarded to Samudra Gupta Kashyap in Pune. The award is given to a person from the North East who has rendered an outstanding work at the national and the international level since 2012. The award consists of `51,000, a memento and a certificate.

PUNE

Today sis ters and singl children e ha found wa ve enjoy the ys to festival

“Disha was three whe up to me and asked, n she walked ‘Di, we have a brother? Ever why don’t playschool yone in her tying rakh had i to her siste r Durva (left on Rakshab shared their celebratio ) for the andan and ns last five year

BY ANJALI she was feeli left out. s That is whe SHETTY ng n I said, ‘I to protect @shetty_anja thos am here e you man Disha Deshmu li y siblings brother.’ So, and am no less than who do not kh, a standard about not havi can’t wait a since fret V ng that year student ties a brother. She for been religious she has a rakh the day whe Sunday, Aug ust 10. ly It is Tradition i to her elder siste instead Dur va, a third tying me a rakhi,” n she will said r put dress, mak year BCom e-up and mos on her new that celeb ally, Rakshabandan is Dur va. student.

What Dish a festival receive a gift t importantly, rates a loves mos festival is of her t about this brothers and the love and bond betw that “Du This Rakshab choice. een gift sisters. But rva-di gets toda of changed as andan, Dish me a sisters and singl y things have birth my choice. I mean a is among it’s day or a spec found nove l ways to celeb e children have get ial occasion not my to unw rap rate the festi but I still a gift.” val.

Disha Desh mukh has been

Contd on p 10

son but no daughter and I formally adopted a daughter out of mutual affection, without any legal proceedings. This father-daughter relationship which started sometime in 1996 still continues although she is in Mumbai - C V Narayanan

We must develop a scientific temperament

The Goden Sparrow on Saturday (Aug 9) deserves lavish compliments on carrying Science Vs Superstition debate in its latest issue. We all need to

develop a scientific temperament and an urge to see things beyond the veneer of ostensible appearance, blind faith, religion, god (primitive minds’ biggest concoction) and all that supernatural jazz. Most of us are morbidly irrational and superstitious to the core. We believe in blatant religious balderdash and are deeply fearful of hither-to unexplained phenomena.

Even a scientific organisation like ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) unfailingly breaks a coconut and performs a grand pooja prior to every space expedition. This underlines the deep-seated irrationality of even our top-notch space scientists.

If they’re so gullible, it stands to reason that the masses will be even more credulous. I’m not at all surprised to read Dr Vijay Bhatkar’s nebulous ideas about seances, Ouija boards and other such obscure things we’re all so inextricably bound up with.

We’re dove-tailed to superstitions and shibboleths. When ‘forwardthinking’ newspapers (even yours) carry regular astro-columns and tarrot-card

readings, how can we expect to develop a clear and scientific thinking that has no room for all this garbage? In a nutshell, our society is still steeped in obscurantism and is saddled with all sorts of unfounded beliefs. This is indeed alarming and needs severe jolts to come out of its superstitious slumber.

— Sumit Paul

Write to Us Letters to the Editor may be emailed to editor_tgs@goldensparrow. com or mailed to Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt Ltd, 1641 Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411030.

The Best Letter of the Week will receive a special gift from Venus Traders, Pune’s finest stationery departmental.

CITY

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

Garbage segregation in 11 prabhags (electoral panels) of Pune increased from 45% to 73% in a one-year period ending July 2014 - Janwani.org

Signposts Fiat Club to honour journalistic fraternity The city members of Fiat Classic Car Club of India (FCCCI) will hold a special programme on Independence Day to honour the journalistic fraternity. “The history of modern journalism in India has a very honoured connection with our city and the journalists are acting as true guardians of our nation. We have arranged this rally to express our respect and gratitude to all dedicated journalists,” said FCCCI member Subhash Karmarkar. The members will bring their classic Fiat cars to Patrakar Bhavan for the flag-hosting ceremony and visit the Niwara old age home. The car rally will cover Kesari Wada and Ranade Institute on Fergusson College Road.

Corrections and clarifications The editorial (Dabholkar murder, Science & Superstition) and Spotlight (“Scientists must have an open mind”) inadvertently mentioned the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) as MH 17. The error is regretted.

TGS Quiz Contest

A

No. 9

nswers to the following 10 questions are embedded in the stories featured in this edition. Send us the correct answers at contest. tgs@gmail.com and be one of the three lucky winners to receive gift coupons.

1. Where are the Trump Towers coming up in Pune and who are they tying up with?

2. What is the name of the city techie who represented Pune at the World Economic Forum?

3. Which city-based jewellery store did actor Urmila Matondkar inaugurate recently?

4. What is the name of the students who won the merit certificate in the regional level CBSE science exhibition held recently at DAV Public School at Panvel?

Biotechnology turns to the furred and four-legged P 11

State government’s tough line to fine double property tax along with due tariff on illegal structures has boosted civic body’s revenue

BY ARCHANA DAHIWAL @ArchanaDahiwal The tariff on illegal constructions that the administration has failed to check or weed out in Pimpri-Chinchwad is fi lling the coffers of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). The civic body has become richer by `31.58 crore collected in 2013-14 from the owners of such buildings.

With PCMC revenue dipping after the implementation of local body tax (LBT) in 2013, the administration is focusing on its second biggest revenue generator — recovery of property tax.

A 200 per cent fine on the property tax is being levied on the illegal structures that cropped up after January 4, 2008 in the twin town.

PCMC property tax department chief Bhaudas Gaikwad said, “The state government had issued orders to PCMC to collect 200 per cent property tax fine from 2013 for illegal constructions made after January 4, 2008. We have collected `3.47 crore in 2012-13 and `31.58 crore in 201314, including the additional difference

PCMC has razed 371 illegal structures built after March 2012

of `8.12 crore, from 43,392 structures that are illegally built.”

According to a civic official, there is a provision of imposing double penalty along with property tax on illegal structures under Section 267(A) of Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1949.

PCMC standing committee and general body had passed a resolution,

PNG opens diamond store at Bund Garden Road

Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar launches the new showroom TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly There are two prime reasons for PNG Diamonds to have launched their third diamond store at Bund Garden Road. The first is that the market is already set in this area with the presence of brands like Tanishq and TBZ. The second is that PNG Diamonds has a lot of loyal customers around this area.

Spread across 1,200 sq ft, the jewellery boutique was inaugurated by Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar, Pune mayor Chanchala Kodre and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Kolhapur.

On the expansion, Akshay and Rohan Gadgil, owners of PNG Diamonds said, “A business has to take care of its customers and our loyal

(From left) Akshay Gadgil, Urmila Matondkar and Rohan Gadgil having a look at the store’s collection

patrons from areas like Kalyaninagar, Vimannagar and Koregaon Park find it difficult to travel all the way to Laxmi Road.

This exclusive showroom is for their comfort and convenience.”

Urmila recollected her first piece of jewellery at the event. “It is a pair of traditional earrings gifted by my mother. She till date shops for jewellery for

me and has handed me a list to shop for today too,” said Urmila, who has been associated with the brand earlier also for their Nasik store’s launch The store will house reasonable, light weight and exclusive designs, in diamond chokers, fancy shaped collection and the traditional jhumkis and zubes. editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com

With this issue

6. Which theatre group did actor Darshan Kumaar start his career with?

7. Which five fi lms does Professor (Film Appreciation, FTII) Anil Zankar recommend for the long weekend?

8. Which dish is corporate chef Yogesh Naik’s version of national integration?

1. Ravinder Kumar 2. Urmilla Ramrakhiani

The next big idea

S PAGE EW VI

In the issue ON TH EI N

D

GE PA ON TH ER E

ON T HE TO

9. Who is the CEO of Ishanya Mall at Yerawada?

Contest # 8 winners

P 10

PCMC mops up `32 cr from illegal constructions

5. With whom has blogger Sahil Khan co-founded the restaurant search and rating application titled dishoomit?

10. Who is the trustee at the Shiva temple at Someshwarwadi?

Not just his master’s voice: Decoding Amit Shah’s speech

Take 5!

PAGE GE UL D

Tri-colour influences

agreeing to impose a fine equal to the property tax and forwarded it to the state government, besides issuing notices regarding the fine to the owners of illegal structures as per the resolution.

But the state government scrapped PCMC’s resolution, and the latter received a written order from the office of the secretary of urban development

on November 22, 2013 to follow Section 451(3) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. The section imposes double property tax fine to be charged along with due property tax on illegal structures.

Owners will have to pay the fine every year as long as the property is listed as illegal.

As the civic administration had already issued bills carrying fine equal to the property tax as per the resolution, from 2013-14 it collected fine as per the state government’s directive and also recovered the difference of previous year.

Cutting across party lines, civic corporators opposed PCMC’s move of collecting double property tax fine.

Former PCMC commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi had taken a tough stand on illegal structures by ordering disconnection of basic facilities like water, electricity and drainage, and also launched a major demolition drive.

Still, over 2,800 illegal constructions raised their ugly head in the twin town in 2013-14, and their owners have been asked to register their property with PCMC, a civic official

Tough stand • PCMC has razed 371 illegal structures built after March 2012 and registered 1,179 FIRs against its owners.

• The civic administration will recover tax if the use of the property has been changed from residential to commercial purpose.

Any extension carried out without permission will also attract property tax for the extended area, along with the penalty.

• In 2013-14, revenue generated from property tax by PCMC stood at `259 crore, and additional `32 crore from illegal properties as against its target of `42 crore from such structures.

said. PCMC has no plans to regularise these structures and owners are made to agree to this clause while signing the document of registration. archana.dahiwal@goldensparrow.com A TGS MARKETING INITIATIVE

Making a difference through social message creatives Dear Readers, The Golden Sparrow on Saturday has invited Pune’s immensely talented advertising and creative fraternity to participate in a Social Message Creatives initiative that begins today.

The objective of these creatives is to encourage and promote social

causes including green initiatives, water conservation, girl child protection, national integration, communal harmony and road safety.

Eligible entries will be carried in our edition every Saturday till November 15 and presented collectively in a public exhibition in that month.

Kick-starting the campaign is Genesis Advertising’s message on malnutrition. The artwork below is prepared by agency head Sanjay Satalkar, designer Kiran More and copy writers Imran Shaikh and Uday Gogate Happy Independence Day! Team TGS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

When love is tested on the web...

P8

How the 30:10 rule could help you manage your personal finance better P 14

Twitter is available in more than 25 languages, including right-toleft languages like Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and Urdu

City Blogger Of The Week

TECH GURU

For the love of food & everything gastronomic

BY SORAB GHASWALLA This is an interactive column. Like today, every week, we will be replying to technology and internet related queries sent in by readers. You may email your questions with the subject line ‘Tech Guru query’ to tgstechguru@gmail.com

Blogger Sahil Khan speaks to Ishani Bose about his love for food and his app and blog dishoomit ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

TGS NEWS SERVICE @ishani_bose If you’re a food connoisseur, then Sahil Khan is a name you must have come across. Having run the online food magazine called The Tossed Salad for nearly five years, Khan is quite an established name in Pune’s food circuit.

Last November he co-founded a restaurant search and rating application called dishoomit, with Hrishikesh Rajpathak, that continues to enable him to write about his favourite topic--food, on blog. dishoomit.com.

“All through my schooling years in Saudi, followed by junior college days in Lucknow, I was used to eating simple yet delicious home- made food. It was only after I moved to Pune that I started missing that food and was on the lookout for places which were affordable and served quality. Around that time I also started getting a lot of queries from friends regarding interesting places to dine. I had written a lot of food reviews during the The Tossed Salad days, but the information wasn’t structured properly to go back and refer them. That’s when the need to have an application like dishoomit was felt,” Sahil said.

While the application, allows one to search for the restaurant that serves, say for instance biryani, and rate it as well, his blog consists of food reviews, chef ’s interviews and other food-related news that complement the idea behind the app. “I can express myself best with food. I had always wanted to run my own magazine since college days. Though I never got a chance to do that in those days, I fulfi lled my dream through The Tossed Salad for five years. As I travelled along the years from one place to another, my understanding of food evolved. And being a foodie at heart, if there was anything I could write confidently about, it was about food. Perhaps that is why, even after the closure of Th e Tossed Salad, I continued to write about the topic that is close to my

heart, in my blog,” he said.

As the app is still in its nascent stage, Sahil and his partner are not earning any remuneration out of it. However, this does not deter them from continuing with their pursuit of making food related information available to the patrons. “As the app is still in its initial stage, we haven’t started earning anything out of it. But that is not going to affect me. I write about food because I’m passionate about it. That’s something I did even when I used to write for Th e Tossed Salad. I did not earn anything out of it for five years. I had volunteers writing for me too but I couldn’t pay them anything,” he said. Over the years, Sahil has been earning a living by being a freelance designer.

Sahil and his partner are planning to expand dishoomit’s business and operations to Mumbai as well. “Mumbai has a great food and lifestlyle market. We are looking to tap into that soon,” he said before signing off.

Ishani.bose@goldensparrow.com

Social media to ensure consumer rights

Posting a consumer complaint or endorsing a product on social media can generate impact, says Ishani Bose TGS NEWS SERVICE @ishani_bose Social media has changed the communication dynamics between corporations and consumers. Communication today between customers and companies about reviews, complaints, compliments or a company’s social or environmental record – is often animated, emotional, and highly visible.

The frustrating phone calls to company call centres can be bypassed by prompt and precise posts on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The high visibility of these online posts- especially if they are complaints- often compel companies to give quick responses and address consumer grievances.

The manner in which international passenger and businessman Hasan Syed used Twitter and forced British Airways to apologise and make amends for his

father’s lost luggage, made international news in September 2013. According to the BBC report, angry with the way the airlines was treating his father’s lost luggage, Syed spent $1,000 for a promotional tweet with the message “Don’t fl y @BritishAirways. Their customer service is horrendous”.

Such was the impact of the paid, high visibility tweet that British Airways contacted him and offered an apology. They also ran a tweet that said, “@HVSVN Sorry for the delay in responding, our twitter feed is open 0900-1700 GMT. Please DM your baggage ref and we’ll look into this.”

In Pune, a 27-year-old journalist used social media effectively after her online order of Rs. 314 was not delivered by McDonald’s. The company fi rst ignored the complaint. But the moment it was tweeted and re-tweeted by others, McDonald’s sent an online apology and promised to

make amends Ahil Amar, a former social media strategist with a leading automobile fi rm in India, says, “It is necessary for companies to respond. Even if the matter requires time to be resolved, just a tweet saying ‘We’ll look into the matter’ speaks volumes. At least by doing so, they are able to give the customer the satisfaction of being heard and save the fi rm from getting negative publicity.”

Nainesh Chavda, an advertising accounts executive with WAT Consult believes that today companies come up with various strategies to deal with customer grievances and improve brand image. Once Nainesh and his friends had been to Bombay Blues for dinner and were dissatisfied with the quality of food and service. He wrote about his experience on Facebook and many of his friends and friend’s friends liked the post, commented on it and shared it. “The post got so popular that someone

from Bombay Blues got in touch with me, apologising for the poor service and food and offered my friends and me a complimentary dinner. That’s how paranoid they got about the post,” he said.

Aroona Nafday, advocate and convenor of Consumer Empowerment Centre, said that the question is not about having social networking sites to get grievances solved but to be extremely careful before purchasing anything, especially online.

“It is good that youngsters and others are becoming proactive regarding consumer rights and using the social media but that has still not dealt with the problem completely. People still don’t tend to research well before purchasing products or utilising services. They tend to give in to peer pressure and later regret,” she said. Her view is that it is necessary to lodge a written complaint with the consumer court. ishani.bose@goldensparrow.com

East vs West: The myths that mystify Indian leadership consultant, mythologist and author, Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik looks at business and contemporary life through the lens of mythology TED is a global platform where people from different fields come together and speak for 18 minutes or less about their respective disciplines. It was started in 1984 by a non-profit organisation called Sapling Foundation, under the slogan--- Ideas worth sharing. Initially it organised conferences where matters related to technology, design and entertainment merged, but today it includes varied topics such as business, photography, art, science and the like.

ISHANI BOSE @ishani_bose Everyone tries to search for meaning in their lives. In the 2009 Ted Talk titled East vs West, Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author, Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik, suggests the audience to try a technique that their ancestors would often do — which is to fi nd life lessons in myth, rituals and shared stories. Th rough his engaging talk, Pattanaik gives an awe-inspiring speech about the myths of India and the West and showcases ways in which these two fundamentally distinct sets of beliefs lead people to persistently misconceive one another.

Pattanaik narrates the famous Ganesha and Kartik story where the two brothers decided to go on a race, three times around the world. While Kartik

leapt on his peacock and fl ew around the continents, mountains and oceans, Ganesha merely went around his parents, referring to them as his world. “If you understand the difference between ‘the world’ and ‘my world,’ you understand the difference between logos and mythos. ‘The

world’ is objective, logical, universal, factual, scientific. ‘My world’ is subjective.

It’s emotional. It’s personal. It’s perceptions, thoughts, feelings, dreams. It’s the myth that we live in,” says Pattanaik He stated that ‘the world’ refers to how the world functions in general — how the sun rises, how living things are born, where as ‘my world’ asks questions like ‘Why the sun rises? Why we were born?’ “Every culture is trying to understand itself: “Why do we exist?” And every culture comes up with its own understanding of life, its own customized version of mythology,” he says.

Culture is a reaction to nature, Pattnaik states, and this understanding of our ancestors is transmitted from generation to generation in the form of stories, symbols and rituals, which are always indifferent to rationality. Thus, different people have a different understanding of

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the world. He narrates the story of Alexander the Great and the gymnosophist from India, who both felt the other was a fool, for pursuing the paths they did. The difference in their viewpoints, Pattanaik feels, rests in the subjective truth that lies in their respective mythologies. Th at, Pattanaik states holds true even when it comes to the mythology of business.

“If Alexander’s and gymnosophist’s respective beliefs influenced their behavior, then it was bound to influence the businesses they were in. Business is the result of how the market behaves and how the organisation behaves. And if you look at cultures around the world, all you have to do is understand the mythology and you will see how they behave and how they do business,” Pattanaik explains. http://www.ted .com /talk s /devdutt_ pattanaik ishani.bose@goldensparrow.com

Password, password on the wall, which is the strongest of `em of all?

There used to be a line from an old song that went, “Oh, those Russians.” The same lament was heard recently when a security firm revealed that about a dozen Russian teen hackers had gotten away with 1.2 billion passwords. Given that just over half the world’s total population of about 7 billion is “connected”, 1.2 billion compromised passwords is BIG. If true, Russia’s “Dirty Dozen” just landed a solid punch in the on-going war of hackers versus digital security.

Which brings me to the question posed by one of TGS readers – how to make passwords hacker-proof? Well, there’s no such thing. Surprised? Don’t be. Cross-confirm with any cybersecurity expert.

Our lives are increasingly going digital – we buy, sell, transact, bank, gossip, network, plugin, download, upload and chat using the Internet, all of which requires a login. Passwords have inexorably become part of our lives.

Remembering passwords is easier said than done. Your “memory laziness” is what every hacker banks on. While cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated, ordinary Netizens continue to use the same simple passwords like, “12345”, or #password”. Passwords, unfortunately, are still viewed as an annoyance to be dispensed quickly.Think of the last time you were asked to generate a password, and then think of the amount of time you spent making up one.

Bet it was not more than 60 seconds?

Advisory: Take everything about passwords seriously.

While you need to get it right once, hackers have to keep trying for success, so the odds are in your favour. Here are some ways of creating a strong password: 1. Passwords are not members of your family. Don`t make them around your birth date, your wife’s name, your pet, whatever. Keep it impersonal, buddy.

2. For heaven’s sake, do not take the easy route. No “111111” or “55555”. If you were to see the lists of hacked passwords released regularly by anti-virus firms, you will be surprised at the tameness of some of the passwords.

The easy ones are the first things that hackers go for – the cherry pickings.

3. Don`t use the same passwords across accounts.

4. Learn to segregate your accounts into low, medium and high security categories. A blog you occasionally visit requires a low-grade password, your online wire transfer needs the highest class.

5. Use a combination of words, symbols, numbers, upper and lower case while generating a password. Security experts believe a password between 12 and 15 characters makes it tough to crack.

6. Change passwords frequently.

Largely, the world of passwords has two aspects – generation and management. Generators are software that create keywords randomly. My advice, if you must go in for the free ones, is to use open source security tools.

More crucial though are the password management solutions. These are platforms where you can store all your passwords under one account. The much-touted ones are Last Pass and KeePass. All that you have to worry about is remembering the master password that unlocks this vault.

Dangerous to keep all your eggs in one basket? These businesses are fairly successful so obviously many in the world trust them.I would say do some research and go in for the best. Some features to look out for: leading-edge encryption and multi-factor authentication features.

In the Indian market, there’s an app, the Enpass Password Manager & Information Keeper,available for Windowsbased mobiles for Rs 260 (http://bit.ly/XbJbp4).

A few months ago, the Zoho Vault password manager Android free app was launched in India (http://bit.ly/XbJikp).

From the anti-virus guys, there’s the Kaspersky Password Management software (http://bit. ly/1ug2085).

There are even password protected pendrives available in the Indian market(call for quote) (http://bit.ly/1mAWG77).

For enterprise, there’s a product called Privileged Password Manager from Dell Corp (call for quote) (http://dell.to/1rfU4Pe).

(Sorab Ghaswalla is a former old-world journalist who now wears many hats, entrepreneur, Internet consultant, Online Marketer, new media and technology journalist, and the Editor/publisher of four sites of his own, all related to the Internet, smartphones, start-ups and the Internet of things.

You may find him at www.newagecontentservices.com) (Disclaimer: The Tech Guru column is more in the nature of a reader-initiated, advisory feature. Readers are urged to check or confirm for themselves the features of all hardware/software mentioned here before making a purchase. Prices quoted are indicative and not final, and subject to availability of product/ service. This newspaper nor this column shall, in any way, be liable for any physical, personal or monetary damage/losses arising out of advice given herein).

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THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

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CARE ER

The reason why we don’t make it to the top tier of global universities is because we don’t have enough presence in the research domain.”

-Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biocon Chairperson & Managing Director

Signposts City techie to represent Pune at World Economic Forum meet

100 years of teaching German in India German section of the Foreign Languages Department of University of Pune is celebrating 100 years of German teaching in Pune and India. As a part of the centenary celebrations, a series of German films showcasing 100 years of German Cinema will be screened from August 13 and August 19, at FTII from 4 pm onwards. The screening of these films is jointly organised by Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune, FTII and the German Department.

Young innovators enthral audience at Orchid School The school held educational and interactive sessions to mark 10th anniversary

BY PRACHI BARI @prachibari Young innovator from Dombivili, Karan Chaphekar, enthralled the audience at the Orchid School auditorium through his presentation on KC Bots, on the occasion of the innovators’ conclave — Youngistaani, organised by The Orchid School on August 9, as a part of school’s 10th Foundation Day celebration.

Chaphekar’s innovation, a 3-D printer, can print 3-D models out of real plastic using the riprap method.

His innovative model left the young audience and their teachers in awe.

“Small events change your life forever, whether you realise it or not,” said Chaphekar, whose life got completely changed, when his grandfather showed him a broken toy car whose motor was still in a working condition, thus giving

RAHUL RAUT

City techie Devendra Jani is among 350 young change makers selected from around the world, who will represent Pune at a conference at the World Economic Forum headquarters in Geneva.

This year’s meeting will be held from August 21 to 25 and will involve high-level stakeholders, country-level representations to the UN, Global Agenda Councils, Young Global Leaders Network, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and Strategic Partners.

The Annual Curator Meeting, organised by the Global Shapers Community will provide an opportunity for the next generation of curators to exchange views on best practices on relevant issues, share insights with World Economic Forum colleagues on varied regional issues and pressing world challenges, and provide an opportunity for curators to create local impact in the host city of Geneva by serving the local community.

“I am excited to be part of the conference where we can meet youths from across the globes that are instrumental to improve the state of local community. I hope to bring back and spread knowledge to help the young Shapers in Pune make greater impact through our projects,” said Jani. Devendra is a software professional and an active volunteer at Amdocs India.

He has been involved in social work for nine years and a volunteer in multiple organisations. He started his IT career with Infosys Technologies in 2005 and volunteered with Infy Foundation under corporate social responsibility.

He is a curator at Global Shapers Pune Hub which is working on various projects to bring positive impact in Pune city. He, along with other Shapers, has started ‘Right to Walk’ campaign in Pune on January 26, 2014. This camping aims to sensitise people and encourage them to follow traffic rules.

“Seek the right mentors, co-workers who can help you achieve excellence.”

-Harry Paul, author & motivational speaker

Young innovator Karan Chaphekar explaining the working of his 3D printer to the audience during innovators’ conclave- Youngistaani organised by The Orchid School

wings to his imagination and turning them into reality. Anup Tapadia, an innovator from Pune, who is studying for his PhD at University of California,

‘Skill-based learning is important’

BY BARNALEE HANDIQUE @barnalee “Today’s students have a clear sense of what they want. They have dreams and they try to realise their dreams regardless of what the world thinks of them. For this a need-based education system has to be introduced in schools,” said Sadhana Parasharji, head, Innovation and Research, CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education).

She was speaking at an educational conference, ‘Education for Future, Educating the Future — Future Speaks’, at The Orchid School. She stressed that importance should be given to skill-based learning and the gap between the students and the teachers should be bridged.

Other prominent speaker Ganesh Natarajan, CEO, Zensar said, “What sets today’s youngsters apart is their ability to get their message across. As parents and teachers we should give importance on the 3C’s — collobration, communication and cynicism. Opportunities are there and we have to grab it, cynicism should be completely isolated.”

Lakshmi Kumar, director of Pradnya Niketan Education Society and The Orchid School, said, “As an educational institute we need to reflect upon our role in the society, the type of education we are imparting to the students and whether it is relevant in today’s world.” barnalee.handique@gmail.com

San Diego, also shared his journey using science, technology and creativity to set up Touchmagix.

Addressing the students, renowned psychiatrist and actor, Dr Mohan Agashe said, “All you need is conviction,” adding, “innovation should come from the beginning, learning never stops and after your formative years, only if you can retain your capacity to learn, then you live longer.” Citing the example of ‘3-Idiots’, Dr Agashe said that it is an essay on education which reminds us that ‘it is good to be a student for we are allowed to make mistakes’. “Learning is a continuous process and one should never stop it,” he added.

In his key-note address, Dr Vineet Joshi, Chairman of CBSE stressed on the need for individuals to be hardworking, realise their passions, become keen observers and learn to identify opportunities and to be able to use ideas aptly in relation to different contexts. A book titled ‘The Past is the Prologue of the Future’, an inexhaustible collection of narratives, anecdotes, images, visuals and memories of the Orchid School, was also released on the occasion. prachibari@gmail.com

61,000 seats lie vacant in state engg colleges

BY MANASI SARAF JOSHI @ritugh This year too as many as 61,243 seats remained vacant in engineering colleges across various engineering branches.

Students preferring other vocational courses and lack of planning on part of All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) could be blamed for it.

Although, the top officials were not ready to accept the flaws in the admission process, the officials confirmed with The Golden Sparrow on Saturday that there were many shortcomings in Common Admission Process (CAP).

The officials on condition of anonymity said, “like last year this year too there was clash between the CAP dates and IIT’s and NIIT’s admission procedure. This adversely affected the top merit students who preferred IIT’s or NIIT’s over engineering colleges as they had to confirm their admission first in engineering colleges”, they said.

Once their seats were confirmed in IIT’s or NIIT’’s they would cancel their admission in engineering colleges and this forced the process to go upto second and third round even in top government

engineering colleges”, they added.

The engineering colleges started on August 1 this year, yet the entire process has not completed due to high number of vacancies in various engineering colleges across the state.

If one reason is about the lack of planning, many students find a short cut to engineering colleges by getting admitted for the diploma courses to avoid JEE entrance test. Once they complete diploma course, they can seek direct admission to second year engineering course. This helps them to avoid the difficult JEE test besides the tedious CAP rounds,” said prof. NT Khare from city engineering college.

Another reason for large number of vacant seats was no control of AICTE over new engineering colleges coming up. SK Mahajan, chairman AICTE had said that AICTE cannot stop a new engineering college to open if it has fulfilled all the norms.

There are 365 engineering colleges with a total intake capacity of 1.57 lakh this year. Out of which CAP received only 95,000 applications for engineering and technology seats. manasisaraf@gmail.com

Vacant seats across the state Pune University: 17,879 Babasaheb Ambedkar university, Aurangabad: 4,492 Gondwana university: 964 Mumbai university: 6,180 North Maharashtra University: 2,157 Nagpur University: 10,510 SRP Marathwada University, Nanded: 1,990 Sant Gadgebaba Amaravati University: 5,825 Shivaji university, Kolhapur: 4,543 Solapur university: 3,785

Budding scientists display their skills at science expo

BY ARCHANA DAHIWAL @ArchanaDahiwal

The science project by the students of City Pride School, Nigdi, won the merit certificate and was also selected for the national level at the regionallevel CBSE Science Exhibition recently at DAV Public School, Panvel. The project titled, Energy Conversation and Alarming Railway Light through Vibration, showed how the vibrations from railway tracks could be converted into energy by the Indian Railways.

There were 186 projects and 78 schools participated and only five projects were selected under the title

City Pride School students’ The Energy Conversation and alarming railway light through vibration’ project’ won merit certificate in the regional level CBSC science exhibition held recently at DAV public school at Panvel. (From left) Ved Khandekar (standard VIII), Anish Deshpande (standard VI), Sahil Tongaonkar (standard IX)

Pursuing My Career

I want to specialise in Japanese Law With Indo-Japan relations on the upswing, it will be an ideal career for me

BY SHREYAS ATRE I have had an interest in Japanese language since childhood because of the environment at my home. My father, Shrikant, who is a Japanese language interpreter, used to have a numerous Japanese visitors, so meeting Japanese people was not new to me. My father and my family were elated when I scored 100 on 100 in Japanese language in Class XII exam held this year.

I took up Japanese language because I wanted to pursue the career of Law in Japan. I have known Indo-Japan relations from past 10 years and is also aware of the fact

that due to the deteriorating ChinaJapan relations, Japan will make India as its next focus. So there will naturally be a requirement of legal experts on both sides. But unfortunately, there are still no Indians who have studied Japanese Law. And this is why I think that taking up the legal profession in Japan might be ideal for me. This way I can act as a bridge between the two countries and help in advancement of Indo-Japan relations.

My father is the one who encouraged me to take up Japanese language.

I won the JENESYS 2.0 scholarship in April 2014, which was a dream come true for me. I have dreamt of Japan since childhood and even travelled alone when I was just 12 years old to meet my father when he was working there. During the scholarship to understand culture and interact with Japanese youth, I also had

the opportunity to deliver a speech.

It was an exhilarating experience. It was a welcome speech to the chief guests in Yonezawa. I have also given a presentation on India - Japan cross culture differences in Tokyo during the same programme.

But if Vinay Sathe, HOD (Japanese) at Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth had not helped me with his valuable guidance and training, I would not have achieved this level of command in this language, so I am forever in his debt as my guide and teacher.

Although, I am currently studying First Year Law at Sinhagad Law College, I am also pursuing my studies in Japanese with a special advanced diploma course in Japanese at Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth. I have already started studying legal terminology in Japanese on my own.

(As told to Prachi Bari)

‘Energy’. The project was presented by the Ved Khandekar (Class VIII) and Sahil Tongoankar (Class IX). In addition to it, Anish Deshpande (Class VII) was the youngest participant, who presented the working model of ‘Chimney Control Smoke Pollution’ with clear concept and working principle with applications. The school teacher Vincy Anthony guided these children.

Ved who earlier won the state level title in science exhibition of ‘Young Budding Scientists’ for his solar car model, said, “We used simple things like toy train with tracks. We modified it with switch and solar pane, battery to

present it as a working model. Through this project we wanted to show that vibrations can used for the effective functioning of train.” The students focused on presentation as it’s a new concept for railway transport. Anish, who is youngest in the competition, also won the state-level Young Budding Scientist competition earlier.

Explaining his project, Anish said, “To show the working model of how Chimney Control Smoke Pollution, I used battery, metal net, wire, switch box etc. It took me two months to complete the project.” archana.dahiwal@goldensparrow.com

Life’s Lessons

Solo performer or team leader?

Would you like to achieve excellence in your chosen field by working as a solo performer? Or would you like to make a difference by leading a team?

Writers, scientists, sports person musicians, actors are people who achieve excellence at an individual level. They are of course required to work in a team, but the success they achieve is more of an individual nature.

Whereas, business leaders, politicians, heads of governments, heads of institutions and social workers are people who not only have extraordinary qualities but are primarily team leaders. They lead large numbers of people to achieve big goals.

We can excel in either roles, as per our nature and it is good to identify where we perform best- as individuals or as team leaders.

If you are focused on individual performance, then the qualities you need are a high degree of discipline, creativity, innovation, hard work and above average intelligence. You need to be ambitious and self-motivated too, with an ability to chart your own path.

To succeed as a team leader, you need a fair degree of the qualities mentioned above and more: the ability to delegate, good communication skills, the ability to manage a team of people with different temperaments and competency levels, the ability to inspire and motivate and the ability to create a vision and plan a strategy to achieve that vision.

It is far more difficult to lead people than to work individually and therefore leaders are always in high demand in all professions.

RE LATIONSHIPS “Sitting down to a meal with an indian family is different from sitting down to a meal with a British family.”

- Roland Joffe

Listen to what others say but do what you think to be the best ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Do we need others’ opinions and advice before taking a major decision? This is really a very difficult question because it seems that we all give too much importance to people’s opinions about ourselves and our future. Your life is not regulated or guided by others.

You’re the maker of your destiny.

There’s a beautiful story of a brave and ‘visionary’ frog in Japanese. There was a bull-frog in a lake. He had many friends in the lake and they were all living happily. One day, the bull-frog called his friends and told them that he had decided to try his luck in the bigger lake that was across the road. All his friends tried to make him change his mind and began to scare him that if he went there, he would be lost. The bullfrog listened to his friends’ pieces of advice very attentively but finally said he was ready to face anything, even if that was bad.

He was determined to leave the smaller lake and old friends for a more inspiring life in a bigger lake. He went to the other lake and soon found that the new lake had more insects and sweeter water. Soon he called all his friends from the old and smaller lake and they were also very happy as they had sufficient sources of food and the new place was bigger. The moral of the story is that, you must listen to what others say but you must do what you think to be the best (suno sab ki, karo man ki).

Those very friends of the bull frog, who advised him not to go to the bigger lake, followed him once the bull frog ventured out and took a risk. A great deal of talent is lost in the world for the want of a little courage. One never gets anything by remaining a ‘frog in the well’ (koopmanduk).

Remember, people will always discourage you to take a decision that requires you to come out of your comfort zone. But if you’re ready to break free and come out of your shell, life has a lot to offer. Until we use our brain and mind, we can never achieve what we are actually capable of achieving. Risk-taking ability in a person often puts him/her much higher than his/her peers. A person who has petty ambitions, lives a petty life.

There’s a Hindi saying: Chhote vichaar,

Why are we so fearful?

Have a positively practical image of yourself in mind and strive to accomplish that

chhota vyakti (small thoughts, small man). While it’s good to have very few desires, it’s bad to have low or no ambitions. It’s criminal. Because if you are not able to decide as to what you are going to do with your life, you’ll never succeed and never climb the ladder of success in life.

Have a positively practical image of yourself in mind and strive to accomplish that. Life is all about setting a goal for yourself. Don’t care much for what others think of you. ‘Jab chal pade safar ko toh kya mud ke dekhna/ Duniya ka kya hai usne sada baarbaar dee’ (Once you venture out and

Men’s rights group for law on ‘shared parenting’ beginning August 15 in Taj city.

Bangalore-based CRISP, which has NEW DELHI: A group of men, been fighting in association with Save fighting for shared parenting in case Family Foundation for the rights of of divorce or separation, will demand fathers and children for six years, will this Independence Day a law to make organise this annual event, the sixth in shared parenting mandatory. The group the series. Among other issues slated also says pre-marital counselling should for discussion during the summit are be made compulsory to bring down the to make the Domestic Violence Act of number of divorces.

2005 gender-neutral so that ‘harassed’ “We will meet in Agra this husbands also have an opportunity Independence Day to chalk out a for judicial remedy. They also want strategy to raise the demand to roll back amendment of section 498(A) of the the Marriage Laws Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Bill of (IPC) - that deals with 2010, which is pending harassing a married in the Lok Sabha,” woman - to make it a Kumar V Jahgirdar, bailable offence. founder and president Quoting figures of the Child Rights from a National Initiative for Shared Crime Record Bureau Parenting (CRISP), report titled “Crime in told IANS. India - 2013” released He said a new bill last month, he said the with a provision to number of suicides make shared parenting increased to 134,799 mandatory in case in 2013 from 110,851 of separation of the in 2003. The report - Kumar V Jahgirdar parents should replace says the number of the existing bill, also married men (64,098) known as Irrevocable committing suicide in Breakdown of Marriage. According 2013 was double the number of married to him, a child needs the care and women (29,491). affection of both biological parents On the analogy of the Lokpal Act, and grandparents. Jahgirdar said more which has a special clause to punish than 200 men activists from across those who misuse the law, there should India would chalk out a plan for “equal a law to check misuse of Section 498(A) married men rights”. and the Domestic Violence Act, said For the first time, foreign delegates Save Family Foundation-Delhi founder from the US and Britain are also member Swarup Sarkar. participating in the two-day summit IANS

“A child needs the care and affection of both biological parents and grandparents.”

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persecuted by the masses. Remember, very few people are truly happy when you achieve something great in life. So it’s always a wise and prudent decision to do things on your own, giving two hoots to the naysayers.

Had Einstein and Newton paid heed to the negative opinions of the hoi polloi, they would never have reached the meridian of success and excellence in life. People must follow you rather than you follow them and fail in life. So, be a door that opens to opportunities, rather than a doormat to dust off life’s golden breakthroughs.

The Way Forward

Let’s chose idealism over pragmatism Is a problem bothering you and you are unable to decide what to do? Write in to us at wayforward@goldensparrow. com for advice and suggestions from C Ravindranath All of us talk of corruption. We deride it. Have you ever noticed that it is always referred to in the third person?

‘You’ and ‘I’ are above it. No sir, it is the politicians who are corrupt. I did not elect them. The bureaucrats are corrupt. I didn’t appoint them.

Corruption exists, but my hands are clean.

Are they? How do we define corruption? Are only bribe-seekers guilty of corruption? What about bribe-givers? Oh no! It is only the cop who takes a bribe when I break a traffic rule who is corrupt. I’m pure as the driven snow. I give him a bribe because I have no alternative.

Is that so? Is there not an alternative? If I have broken the law, should I not accept my punishment? If I take the easy way out, how can I blame only the other person? It is all a matter of convenience.

Rather than paying a hefty fine, it is more convenient to slip a note or two to the authority.

It is later convenient too, to accuse him of being corrupt.

Isn’t it easier if not fashionable, for the pot to call the kettle black?

Corruption is spitting on the road. It is breaking a traffic signal, throwing refuse by the roadside and a myriad other things we do without even being conscious of doing wrong.

However, it is never or seldom our fault. It is always the other guy who is the crook. It is high time we looked at ourselves squarely in the mirror.

We all know the meaning of the adage, ‘When you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.’ It appeals to us. It is good theory. Practically, it does not apply

to us. Who would want to be accused of being part of the problem? As an axiom, it is good. It is to be ignored when it stares me in the face.

Let us stop fooling ourselves. It is not an ombudsman or a law that will stop corruption. It is you and I who have this power. We have the power to desist from giving bribes to get our jobs done, to get away with an offence.

We also have the strength to accept our transgressions gracefully and undergo punishment. It is another matter however, whether we use this power and strength.

It is possible that our legitimate requirements or rights may be delayed or even denied if we decide to go straight.

Can we not wait or survive without them – at least for a while? The dilemma is between idealism and pragmatism. If we feel it is better to be pragmatic and survive than die an idealist, we choose one way. It is not easy to choose idealism and suffering. Till we bridge the gap between idealism and practicality, we will have to live with corruption.

Hopefully, corruption will end one day, but not when people stop accepting bribes but when people like you and I stop giving bribes. To be honest and straightforward is a choice we all have.

Or is honesty no longer the best policy?

To be honest and straightforward is a choice we all have

(The writer is a multi-faceted personality who believes in responding with compassion and hope to the difficult situations in life.)

When love is tested on the web...

Social networking sites like OKcupid are sometimes used as social science laboratories

BY MOLLY WOOD Love is not blind, as it turns out. But opposites attract when people think they are similar. These are two findings about the users of OKCupid, one of the web’s most popular dating sites, that provide a window into how we chase romantic partners in the digital age.

At the same time, the results offer yet another example of how websites like OKCupid are sometimes used as social science laboratories - often without telling their subjects.

In June, Facebook disclosed that it had tested to see if emotions were contagious, deliberately manipulating the emotional content of the news feeds for 700,000 people. After the disclosure led to an uproar by users, privacy regulators in Europe began looking into whether the social network had broken any local laws. Despite the bad publicity faced by Facebook, OKCupid published results of three experiments it recently conducted on users. In one test, it obscured profile pictures. In another, the site hid profile text to see how it affected personality ratings. And in a third, it told some hopeful daters that they were a better or worse potential match with someone than the company’s software actually determined.

“If you use the Internet, you’re the subject of hundreds of experiments at any given time, on every site,” Christian Rudder, president of OKCupid, wrote on the company’s blog. “That’s how websites work.”The research found that if an OKCupid user was told that another user had a high compatibility score instead of

YANA PASKOVA/THE NEW YORK TIMES

BY VISHAL GULATI

I read a couple of beautiful lines, ‘Man is forever in the penumbra of fear/ I need no extra dose of fear.’ Very true. Man is forever in the shadow of fear: fear of death, fear of the unseen, fear of tomorrow, fear of losing job, fear of a possible break-up and all sorts of conceivable fears. It’s this ever-pricking fear that has given birth to god/s, hell, heaven and all that jazz.

Can anyone be completely above the persistent feeling of fear? Why are we so fearful?

And what causes this fear? Fear stems from uncertainty. Since we’re all living in a state of uncertainty and are unaware of what’s going to happen the very next moment, we’re fearful. In fact, fear and uncertainty go hand in hand.

Socrates could drink hemlock because he was fearless and willingly embraced his impending death. Only a stoic (sthitpragya), who’s indifferent to pain and pleasure, is fearless. He has no nagging and niggling sense of incertitude. He’s blissfully insouciant to the world and there’s a kind of (desirable) resignation in his approach and attitude towards life. But can lesser mortals and ordinary individuals be fearless like a stoic? They can be if they look at life from an existentialist’s perspective.

You know, why we’re so fearful? Because we’re too engrossed in the past and too anxious about the next moment. If an individual just lives in the present moment and forgets the moment that may or may never come, he/she can tide over fear. Man’s inherent sense of fear has been exploited by all religions and the agencies that have just one common objective: To keep mankind forever fearful. Fear is like a spear. It pierces and when it pierces, man gets eternally wounded. Fear is a demon of the mind and until this demon is vanquished, we shall forever remain in its dark dungeon.

embark upon an exciting sojourn, never look back/People have an ingrained tendency to keep beckoning you back).

They (people) are in the habit of pulling you back, which is called ‘crab mentality’ or karkat maansikta in Sanskrit. Put crabs in a jar or jug. If one of them tries to climb up, others pull it down. This applies to human beings as well. We don’t venture out because we are all sickly complacent. Nor do we let others do something worthwhile.

If one is ready to create aplace for himself/herself, one should be aware of the universal jealousy of others. History in the making is always

AUGUST 15, 2014

“Becoming a father isn’t difficult but it’s very difficult to be a father.”

- Wilhelm Busch

Ekla Chalo Re… Walk alone

BY SUMIT PAUL

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

Research conducted by OkCupid revealed not a lot has changed about how people chase romantic partners in the digital age — even if Cupid’s arrow travels by fiber optic cable...

a low one - the numbers are based on a mathematical formula created by the company - the user was slightly more likely to reach out with a message. Those who believed they were corresponding with a good match were almost twice as likely to send at least four messages compared with people who were told they were a low match. he test also illustrates how easy it is for a website to manipulate users without their knowing.

The small number of users who received changed compatibility scores, some to 90 per cent from 30 per cent, were not told about the change before the experiment began. After the test ended, OKCupid sent emails revealing the true compatibility scores.

“I understand that that

experimentation is part of the process,” said Zaz Harris, 37, a user of the site from Redwood City, California. “But I do think that experiment is a lot more invasive than the others because it could affect outcomes in a meaningful way.”

She added, “I would probably never see someone that the site said was a 30 per cent match when we were actually 90 per cent, so that is not cool, really.”

Harris said, however, that her expectations for online dating were low regardless of percentages displayed.

OKCupid’s user agreement says that when a person signs up for the site, personal data may be used in research and analysis. “We told users something that wasn’t true. I’m definitely not hiding from that fact,” said Rudder.

It is not known how many of these manipulated matches may have turned into real-life dates, and the data suggest that the highest rate of communication happened between people who were good matches and were told they were good matches.

Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, a professor of social strategy at the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland, said the sort of so-called randomised experiments conducted by OKCupid and Facebook were “critical but always ethically hard.” He likened them to medical experiments where some participants in a study received a placebo they believed was a drug that might improve their health. “Social science is becoming subject to the same problems,” Piskorski said in an email interview. “We use natural experiments to overcome ethical problems that arise in randomised experiments,” he said.

“I think the websites should consider more of these natural experiments even though they are harder to pull off.”

In the other two experiments, OKCupid said users were more likely to equate “looks” with “personality,” even in profiles that featured attractive photos and little if any substantive profile information.

But while appearance matters as a rule, there seem to be exceptions. When people went on truly blind dates that they set up using a companion app with no photos, their enjoyment of the dates was less influenced by looks.

In other words, maybe love can be blind, if you let it be. © 2014 New York Times News Service

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

“Given the increased focus on products, the Indian start-up community now more than ever before requires a hawk eyed focus on delivering world class experiences to people around the world.”

– Ashwini Asokan, user experience strategist

MCCIA to hold workshop on mistake proofing

Programme on lean manufacturing competitiveness The ministry of micro, small and medium industries has launched up-scaled and revised version of the Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme in order to help and handhold the small scale manufacturing units to enhance productivity and profitability. MCCIA under the first phase of the nationwide scheme has completed four mini clusters and helped 40 small scale companies to excel. The workshop will be held at MCCIA Trade Towers at 4 pm on August 20.

Short-term courses offered under skill devp initiative MCCIA has launched a skill development initiative ‘Kaushalya Sanwardhan’. The project will endeavour to improve the skills of unskilled, already employed as well as fresh graduates, diploma holders and undergraduates.

The two three-month courses EMPACT for accountants and EMPHR for HR professionals will begin from August 16 from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm. Contact Veda Kulkarni 25709000 or email vadak@mcciapune.com for details.

Padmaja Lakhe has found a way to turn passion into a business enterprise

BY PRACHI BARI @prachibari She still teaches mathematics and engineering but her passion for painting has inspired to her business enterprise ‘Bhilla’, now a household name in interiors.

Padmaja Lakhe’s handcrafted half shades, silk neckties, stoles and saris, are seen at different places — from Pune’s Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahostav to Ahmedabad’s women entrepreneur show.

Of the pieces that adorn the walls of her studio, her favourite features a group of whooping cranes. “This painting was my fastest selling art piece. I sold 500 pieces,” she said.

“Though I was an engineer and academic by profession, I was always an artist at heart. P u r s uing the art form as a mere hobby ensures its demise in your life by your own hands. By converting it into a passion and subsequently into a profession ensures its survival and continued importance. This thought propelled me towards achieving this goal, and ‘Bhila’ as a brand was born,” she said.

Bhila stands for the initials of my family name, Bhide-Lakhe. “I was fortunate to learn art at a young age but it was my husband who backed my idea and pushed me to pursue and follow my dream, hence the name Bhila,” she said.

Padmaja started her business on October 25, 2012. I started with 25 lamps, now I have made more than 1,000 lamps.

Bhila designs feature ethnicity and

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) has organised a daylong workshop on ‘Poka Yoke — Gateway to World-Class Quality’ at the Navalmal Firodia Hall, MCCIA Trade Tower, Senapati Bapat Road from 10 am to 5 om on August 19. Behind Poka Yoke (mistake proofing) is the conviction that to produce even a single defective product is not acceptable. Shigeo Shingo, the founder of Poka Yoke (mistake proofing; originally called as Baka Yoke - fool proofing) realised the limitations of statistical techniques and devised this tool to achieve zero defect quality.

For details, visit MCCIA website.

‘I learned from books and mistakes’

The designs of Padmaja Lakhe’s half shades (left) and other works deal with ethnicity and mélange of new and old

a mélange of new and old. “Indian folk art always fascinated me. Its earthiness and strong expression always fuels my imagination. I was always fascinated by Madhubani style of painting and this art style provides me with the variety in motifs and a vast canvass for expression,” she says.

“It began as a very experimental (and dangerous) attempt to paint the only significant wall in my drawing room. But the experiment served as an excellent portfolio and ushered in wide

Why MSME start-ups fail often?

The absence of hand holding at every step, essential for business success, is proving to be a bane

BY VIVEK SHARMA Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a critical role in the economic growth in India. Apart from being the second largest contributor in the employment generation in the country, they play a key role in gross domestic product (GDP) growth and foreign exchange earnings. India UnInc (a term used by Prof R Vaidyanathan), in spite of being the backbone of the economy, continues to suffer from several issues, which hinders its growth. While financing remains a big constraint, with most of the MSMEs left to themselves to mobilise funds for business needs, the biggest problem that MSMEs face today is the lack of hand holding mechanism for a start up business in India.

Starting a business is a big challenge in India. Most of the people associate the challenge of starting a business to the availability of capital.

While funding is a pre-requisite to run a business, the matter does not end here. There are three critical steps that a small business unit will have to take. The first is a set of approvals required to start the business, followed by production of goods and services and the last stage is marketing or selling of goods. Most of the small start-up businesses have no clue about this threestage process apart from managing the challenge of managing funds.

Let us look at the first step. A business unit needs a set of approvals before it starts functioning. The approval ranges from obtaining a no-pollution

certificate for registration with tax authorities to obtaining a no-objection certificate from the fire department, wherever applicable. For instance, not many entrepreneurs know that if they start a business involving household electrical appliances, an approval from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) would be required. Even a non-polluting unit would need to file an application with relevant pollution department and obtain an acknowledgment.

A small business unit, in order to avail benefits of various schemes offered by the government needs to be registered with the District Industries Center (DIC). This registration is obtained by submitting a Entrepreneurs Memorandum (EM1 & EM-2). Since many MSMEs may not understand the significance of this, they may miss out on the benefits provided by the government.

Typically EM-I registration is required for for industrial land, credit and pollution clearance.

EM-2 is required for eligibility for marketing support, raw material, assistance under industrial / MSME policies such as VAT reimbursement, capital investment subsidy and interest subsidy. Unfortunately, most of the MSMEs remain unregistered in India and fail to become eligible for these benefits.

After a business unit has been set up and is ready for production or providing services, the problem for MSMEs is not over. There can be cost over-runs causing businesses to run out of money and fail. There is a complete absence of

understanding on lean manufacturing for MSMEs. MSMEs have limited bargaining powers and along with cost escalation, the viability of the business becomes questionable. One simple example of cost escalation could be management of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, which can add to its power supply bills.

The biggest support is required at the time of sales. Lack of awareness about the right market place, where goods can be offered for sale is one of the biggest challenges that MSMEs face. In spite of the government coming out with plans such as purchase preference policy, MSMEs find it difficult to sell their products. There is an online portal which National Small Industries Corp (NSIC) is providing to sell products but such schemes are not very effective. MSMEs often fail to realise the significance of branding their products and at best end up becoming a supplier of raw material for large corporations.

The most significant point in the entire cycle of MSMEs business is its growth from micro to small to medium and to large entities. In this growth path, the first stage is very critical. This phase of successful launch of business can take it further to take off stage. Till the stage of take off, capital is as critical as hand holding for MSMEs. (Vivek Sharma has worked for 17 years in the stock market, debt market and banking. He is a post graduate in Economics and MBA in Finance. He writes on personal finance and economics and is invited as an expert on personal finance shows.) @moneylife

variety of ideas from all directions. The final outcome was a compact, usable and elegant product with reasonable commercial viability. The half shade, sold faster and overnight, I was an entrepreneur,” she says.

She is inspired by artists and craftsmen from remote parts of India.

Initially Padmaja faced a lot of opposition from her family.

“After I got a few wheels moving, I finally caught their attention.

Now we all represent a single united front,” she says.

Her dream is to establish Bhila as

a handicraft clothing/home décor line the world over.

Padmaja is part of the Amhi Udyogini, a group started by MCCIA ex-chairperson Meenal Mohadikar that promotes women entrepreneurship.

She believes that it is not a person but a team that makes a brand such as Fab India, Good Earth and Happy India.

“I am my own mentor. I learned from books and my mistakes,” she says. prachibari@gmail.com

Kerala to seek more fund to fuel start-ups KOCHI: Kerala will formulate a proposal and submit it to the central government to get funds from the `10,000 crore corpus allocated in the 2014-15 budget to support start-ups, said a senior state official.

State industries and IT secretary PH Kurian said a comprehensive plan will be drafted to get sufficient funds from the Centre to fuel the growth of the star-tup ecosystem in the state.

Participating in a panel discussion titled ‘How the budget allocation can be utilised for fuelling the growth of the start-up ecosystem in Kerala’ at Start-up Village here, he said that apart from providing 2GB free Internet connectivity to the area, the government will soon provide 100 startup boxes to the young entrepreneurs in the state.

“The new building coming up in Startup Village, with a built up space of two lakh sq ft, will be completed soon and it will have around 1,000 young entrepreneurs working from it,” he said.

Infosys co-founder and Startup Village chief mentor Kris Gopalakrishnan said the Start-up Village at Kalamassery was a unique model and provided the right ambience for youngsters to grow which was not the case some decades ago.

“Today, there is technology and government to help youngsters who are willing to start a business.

One only needs to put in their imagination to make the business successful.

It is an amazing time in India to start a business as you have the right talent and market available within the country,” he added.

Extending all support to Startup Village, Choice Group founder Jose Thomas said that the incubator had evolved as a role model for other states to follow.

Impressed by the performance of the country’s fi rst PPP model incubator, he handed a cheque for `2.5 million to Start-up Village chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar on the occasion.

Bringing in his two decades of experience from Silicon Valley, Envestnet Group president Babu Sivadasan said for a venture to be successful, startups must focus on products, employees and clients and not just money.

IANS

Dilemma over pricing

START-UP MENTOR

Signposts

“Disability is the inability to see ability” - Vikas Khanna, celebrity chef

Vishwas Mahajan

This feature is a collaboration between The Golden Sparrow on Saturday and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the world’s largest non-profit network of entrepreneurs. For additional questions about your entrepreneurial challenges, write to mentoring@pune.tie.org

I am about to launch an online consumer focused service and I am trying to create a pricing model. On one hand people are suggesting it to be offered it free, but at the same time I would like to build a revenue model. Please advise.

- Manmeet Duggal Online service being offered free has almost become a norm. Users have gotten used to free usage of search engine, email software and much more.

Lot of applications are also available with their free version, either the downloadable app or on the web. So let’s discuss a couple of options as we look at your dilemma.

Multi-platform Model Your point about creating a business model is very pertinent here. It is important to understand that although the user is not paying for the service, someone else is paying for it. This is typically called multi-platform revenue model. In this, the user of the service does not necessarily pay and it is funded through some other payers.

Examples of these are many.

Although the search and the mail functionality and the most of the functionality of Google is available free to the user, the advertisers are the ones who pays for that. So Google is the extremely successful business because the advertisers are able to fund. You will notice this same thing in several different businesses. Take the example of newspapers. We all know that the

b.

c.

cost of the paper, printing and the distribution of a newspaper is far higher than `3 or `5 that it costs us. The answer, again, is the advertiser.

How does this relate to your business? It is important to assess if your business has potential of being supported through non-users who could be sponsors, advertisers or any group of business that are able to give you the funds to run your business. Are you are able to give them access to your customer base that your service will attract. Will you will be able to locate stakeholders other than users who will be willing to pay you?

Freemium Model The second option is freemium model. Many softwares are available free for the basic functionality and for a fee as you go higher up at the functionality. In the online model, freemium has gained lots of currency.

There are several ways you can restrict the users who are using it for free, a. This could be limited by the features, i.e. some kind of light version of software which doesn’t

d.

e.

f.

include features that more advance users will benefit or capacity limited , which means you could restrict the size of database, the number of files one can upload etc.

It could be based on numbers of users or seats. For example, up to five users would be free or It could be some kind of customer class for example educational users get free access to many software which are otherwise very expensive or It could base on some kind of support you want to offer, for example this free version will not come with support or implementation or It could be only based on time, like 30 /90 days free version.

You need to keep in mind that free is meant to attract people to use and to find value so that they can upgrade to a paid version. It is very common that over 95 per cent of the users are free but the 5 per cent that pay actually make up for the revenue of the companies.

So in your particular product, check if freemium model cam work.

There are more different variations on how you can price your online services and these are just a few of these. It may also pay to look at what competition is doing.

Vishwas Mahajan, president of TiE Pune Chapter, answers real life questions of entrepreneurs

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

Create prosperity as the real goal of development P 12

PUNE

Over 3.25 lakh children went missing between 2011 and 2014 (till June) at an average of nearly 1 lakh children every year, the Home Ministry told Parliament. The Supreme Court has expressed its anger and anguish about this

IANS

Money alone won’t Not just his master’s voice: ensure our return: Decoding Amit Shah’s speech Kashmiri Pandits BJP’s new president has arrived as a political Chanakya, promising a spectacular win in the upcoming assembly polls states which are still not Congress-free.

There are many parts of the nation where the party still needs to be strengthened, like West Bengal and Odisha,” he said.

wary of it. In Haryana, the BJP is torn between going it alone with Congress defectors, and tying up with either of the two - The Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Janhit Congress. The chances are it will go it alone and seek a post-poll alliance, if needed.

“I appeal to the people of Jharkhand to give us a chance (single party majority) and I promise we will make it as good as Chhattisgarh. The Haryana unit should work to ensure the party comes to power on its own. We can look at an alliance, if needed.”

Everyone knows Amit Shah, the new BJP party president, is there in the job because his boss Narendra Modi wanted it so. Narendra Modi wanted a trusted lieutenant to run the party and expand its reach while he ran the government.

But with his spectacular achievement in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh - where the BJP in alliance with Apna Dal won an unequalled 73 of 80 seats - everyone also knows that Shah is not just his master’s voice. He has arrived as a political Chanakya in his own right.

With four assembly elections scheduled over the next few months in Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra Shah said the BJP must win them all. Calling the BJP’s Lok Sabha win as a victory for its ideology, Shah said the projection of Narendra Modi as prime minister was instrumental in ensuring the support of the poor for the party.

However, he warned party cadres not to allow their massive win to make them complacent.

Here are the main takeaways from his speech: * Amit Shah has an eye on the East and South The BJP has never really been a factor in the East beyond Bihar, but Shah sees no reason as to why this should remain so. The signs are propitious for the party’s growth. Although both Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and Naveen Patnaik’s BJD won convincingly in terms of number of seats, the BJP made considerable gains in terms of vote share.

Shah said the challenge was to convert vote share into seats.

“Today we can say that the BJP is truly a national party. But there are other

* In Jharkhand & Haryana, Shah sought a majority for the BJP without allies, but didn’t rule out the need for them.

The last BJP-JMM coalition led by Arjun Munda did not cover itself with glory, and the state government is currently run by JMM with outside support from the Congress and independents.

Yashwant Sinha appears to be making a bid for leadership of the party in Jharkhand, but it is not clear if the party will go with the idea of projecting him as leader when Arjun Munda may be

Helpline to be launched...

Modi not to address US Congress

Contd from p1

Contd from p1

Though there is little doubt that Shah is working in tandem with Modi, he is not operating only in his shadow

Dr Hamid Dabholkar, son of the slain crusader said although the government introduced the anti superstition law last year, it has not appointed vigilance officers to implement the law. He said that so far 65 complaints have been registered under the new law by the police.

Street plays to mark occasion Prominent Marathi theatre personality Atul Pethe who has joined MANS will be presenting a number of street plays with other creative persons on August 20 to mark the first death anniversary of Dr Dabholkar.

Pethe said that the street plays will be performed across the state, from smaller towns to big cities.

Artists from rural parts will be performing in the plays, he said.

House and Senate, to address the Congress was seen as a kind of ‘atonement’ for revocation of his US visa in 2005 for his alleged role or inaction during 2002 Godhra riots.

“The scheduling conflict could be perceived as yet another slight by the US government at a time of slumping US-India relations,” wrote the Foreign Policy which first broke the story about the Boehner letter.

“This is disappointing news for many in India and the United States who hoped that a US invitation to address Congress would be a historic chance to strengthen ties,” wrote the Diplomat noting “US Congress Misses Historic Chance to Honour India’s Modi.”

However, the US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) which had launched a two-month long campaign

* On Maharashtra, there was no mention of the Shiv Sena.

While it is well known that Shah favours retaining the alliance with Shiv Sena, he emphaised the need for a “BJP” government in Maharashtra. “After 15 years of UPA rule (he meant the Democratic Front, Congress and NCP alliance), the people of Maharashtra have shown their intent to elect a BJP government.” He obviously wanted the party to capitalise on its Lok Sabha showing. In the LS polls, the BJP had a better strike rate than the Sena.

IANS

* Jammu & Kashmir is important to the new BJP chief Shah also seemed to be extremely passionate about recording a BJP win in Jammu & Kashmir. In the Lok Sabha election, the BJP - unexpectedly - emerged as the single largest party in terms of vote share, and won three of the six seats (Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh). While Shah stressed the importance of winning all four assemblies that go to the polls this year, it was Jammu & Kashmir that found special mention in his speech. One reason for this could be the BJP’s special interest in abrogating article 370 and bringing J&K into the national mainstream.

“The conditions in Jammu & Kashmir are very sad and the current government is running an establishment filled with corruption. It is not only the responsibility of state BJP activists but every activist in every state to ensure that the BJP wins there. Both the political families of the state have misused the money meant for progress,” he said.

to urge Boehner to invite Modi gave a positive spin to the development. After a meeting with Boehner, “the USINPAC membership came away with an exceptional understanding that the journey - building a case for an enduring bilateral relationship - has been more important than the destination,” it said.

Brad Sherman, a senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and 87 other House this week again urged the House leadership to keep Congress in session from Sep 29 to Oct 2 to ‘afford Prime Minister Modi an opportunity to address a joint session during his visit’. The Indian American Community Foundation plans to host Modi at a special event being held on Sep 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York to provide him a platform to officially address the Indian-American community in the US. IANS

Kabbadi revival brings hope to star...

Contd from p1 “I never thought I would be playing again, after what I experienced in 2010. But this new format is quite challenging and I was eager to be a part of it. Fortunately for me, Puneri Paltan owners gave me the chance, and I am pleased with my performance,” Newale said.

A resident of Chikhali, Newale started playing kabaddi at the age of 12, with Brahma Vishnu Mahesh Kabaddi Sangh. He represented the state in the under-17 team in 2005. He was a

member of the state squad that won the gold medal at the senior nationals held at Amaravati in 2008. It was a historic event for the state, as they had won the gold after 28 years and Newale was the best player of the tournament.

Later in 2010, he played a key role for India in the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games held at Dhaka, Bangladesh and returned with a gold medal. However, to everyone’s surprise, he was dropped from the probable squad for the Asian Games.

“It was very disheartening to be

* No mention of Delhi assembly elections Shah spoke of only four assembly elections, leaving out a potential fifth. The Supreme Court has asked the government to decide its stand on holding elections in Delhi within five weeks. Delhi’s assembly is in suspended animation since Arvind Kejriwal quit in February. This suggests that the BJP is not sure of its final stand - whether to try and form a government with defectors or call for fresh assembly elections. This means there is some degree of nervousness on whether the BJP can win again in Delhi after sweeping all seven Lok Sabha seats in the state last May. It was a strong speech, pregnant with ambition and purpose. Shah has announced his arrival as a political powerhouse in his own right, though there is little doubt that he is working in tandem with Narendra Modi. But he is not operating only in Modi’s shadows.

(By special arrangement with Firstpost.com)

dropped and I decided to call it quits,” he added.

He launched the Om Sai Kabaddi Club academy in Chikhali and has been training kids for two years.

“This league will help me in improving the club. The team has signed me for `7 lakh and I will invest this money in getting an international standard mat, shoes and kit for my players. This is my responsibility as a player and I should play my part in promoting the game,” said Newale. ashish.phadnis@goldensparrow.com

A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits had submitted a memorandum to Narendra Modi at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on January 19, 2014

BY PALLAVI POLANKI The Narendra Modi government’s promise of a new package for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley and the financial commitment of Rs 500 crore in the budget for their return seems to have failed to enthuse members of the community.

Home minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament on Monday that “In view of the past experience, it has been felt that the new package for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants should be carefully finalised in consultation with the state government and the representatives of the migrants.

Our government has already started the process of drawing the contours of the scheme.” On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi, speaking at the inauguration of a hydro-power project in Kargil, reiterated his government’s commitment to the cause of the Kashmiri Pandits.

While promises are all well and good however, it will take a lot more than financial packages to convince the lakhs of the Kashmiri Pandit families who were forced to flee their homes at the height of militancy in the Valley in the 1990s to return, say leading members of the community.

“The exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley was never an economic migration. So money is not what is going to take us back there. The government has to first address the concerns of the community. One, in the last 25 years there has not been a single conviction of any terrorist killing of Kashmiri Pandits despite clinching evidence…The government will first have to ensure security there and that feeling will come only if the government first delivers justice,” says Amit Raina, co-ordinator of a youth initiative called Roots in Kashmir. Holding up the recent controversial decision of the state government to cancel permission to the All Pandit Migrants Coordination Committee to go on a pilgrimage to Kousar Nag as an example of the dire state of security for Pandits in the state, Raina said, “If the government cannot manage a yatra of 40 Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, how will they manage the four lakh Kashmiri Pandits?”

For a rehabilitation programme to succeed, says New Delhi-based engineering graduate Netri Bhatt, the government will first need to ensure the “security and dignity” of the families who return.

(Copyright: Firstpost.com)

Will Bihar buy Lalu-Nitish marriage?

Here is what the numbers say

BY FP POLITICS At an election rally in Bihar on Monday, former chief minister and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar tried to address the biggest suspicion voters have about the just formed unlikely alliance between his party and Lalu Prasad’s RJD. “Our mutual differences are not as big as the communal forces,” Nitish said. “We were together in the past and we are together now.”

With bypolls to 10 Assembly seats in Bihar due on 21 August, the two former chief ministers have hit the campaign trail together, with both fighting public perception that this marriage is nothing more than one of electoral convenience. The two former colleagues parted ways in 1994 when Nitish floated the Samata Party. In fact, Monday saw their first election rally together in over two decades.

Just explaining the circumstances of their coming together appears to be taking up most of their energies, for now at least.

After all, as this Hindustan Times report explains, the JD (U) and the SJD have not exactly been a complementary pair. “Socially and economically, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu represent two equal and powerful caste groupings.

They have been rivals — socially and politically — and even inimical,” the report says. Nitish is backed by the

IANS

BY R JAGANNATHAN

Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar had parted ways in 1994 when the latter floated the Samata Party

Kurmi caste, Lalu by the Yadavs. In Bihar’s highly caste-dominated politics, the Kurmis and the Yadavs are equally significant, and they haven’t ever been friendly.

Nitish and Lalu’s strategy is not just to target the Muslims. The two hope to consolidate the Muslim, Yadav and backward caste votes. At stake are not just these 10 seats that the alliance is targetting -- Bihar goes to polls in 2015 and this Congress-JD(U)-RJD combine is their only hope to keep the BJP from sweeping the state. Still, this alliance is a gamble for the two former CMs, combined as well as individually.

For one, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s superlative performance in the Lok Sabha is still fresh.

More significantly, as the HT report

points out, 40 per cent of Dalits voted in favour of the NDA. Lalu and his family members lost the elections too, evidence that the Yadav vote had not remained consolidated. “Nitish’s Kurmis had been similarly splintered in Nalanda, where a defeat was barely avoided in the face of the Narendra Modi ‘NaMo’ wave,” the report says. So electorally, just getting the caste mathematics right could be easier said than done for Nitish and Lalu. What’s more, each will be aware that there is some personal credibility to be lost if this math does not work out as they hope.

If this combine does not click, rebuilding his personal credibility will be that much tougher for Nitish. This has to be especially true for a man who forced the comfortably placed JD (U)BJP alliance in Bihar, which had ruled for two consecutive terms, to collapse over Narendra Modi’s ascendancy as prime ministerial candidate. Personal credibility was all he walked away with from that mess, something he has already tossed into the stakes with this alliance. If anything can stop the BJP from consolidating its position, it would be the combined might of these groupings. The problem is, the caste arithmetic did not perform as planned in the Lok Sabha elections. Nobody would be surprised if Lalu and Nitish’s original supporters fail to put their vote where their mouth is.

(Copyright: Firstpost.com)

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

An uphill task for Paltans P 16

“In Gaza, the death toll of civilians is an endgame disguised as a tragedy. It is a side-show- without death, Hamas has nothing to to show for its efforts.”

—Thane Rosenbaum, novelist and essayist

Enabling disabled children to sit on their own

Ransoming citizens, Europe becomes al-Qaida’s patron Only a handful of countries have resisted paying, led by the United States and Britain

Cardboard furniture helps disabled children in a big way when it comes to seating without any support JIM DWYER NEW YORK - Sylvia Maxine VanDunk bent over a carpenter’s workbench and carefully slathered a sheet of cardboard with a layer of white glue from an Elmer’s squeeze bottle.

Then she laced the cardboard with a coating of clear glue, this one streamed from the barrel of a heat gun.

The grade of cardboard on the bench was very strong. Because VanDunk was custom-building a chair, and this was the bottom of it, she was adding a second layer of the cardboard.

“Elmer’s and hot glue,” Jessie Lora said. “They work well together.”

VanDunk lined up the second layer over the gluey base.

“Is it perfectly straight?” Lora asked.

“Yes,” VanDunk assured her.

They were working with others in a storefront workshop in Manhattan’s garment district, making furniture that would allow disabled children to sit, eat and play with their classmates at standard-size tables.

Each piece was built to the precise dimensions required for the child by Adaptive Design, a tiny, life-changing nonprofit. A series of before-and-after pictures tracked the journeys out of the

exile of wrong furniture.

One showed a girl about 6 years old sprawled on a mat in a reading group.

She did not have enough muscle tone to sit upright unless she was propped between an adult’s legs, and she couldn’t manage a book while lying on her side.

The next showed the same girl seated in a legless chair, like a sled with a back. A mesh strap kept her upright.

Her legs - both in braces from shin to ankle - stretched out in front of her. In short, she was seated on the ground like all the other children in the reading circle. Absorbed by the storybook in her lap, the girl tilted it so she could see the color-washed pictures and the text, “I am Dan, the flying man.”

From strong cardboard and hot glue, a transformation was fabricated for that girl. It was only breathtaking.

“Having to sit with an adult is what toddlers do,” said Alex Truesdell, the executive director of Adaptive Design.

“Now she can say, ‘I can sit here on my own.’”

Nearly 30 years ago, Truesdell, then temporarily working with blind children in Maine, went into a store room looking for a wooden play station.

To get to it, she had to move a green cardboard chair. It had been built by

BY RUKMINI CALLIMACHI

an unknown craftsperson for an adult whose limbs were not symmetrical - legs and arms of significantly different lengths. Though she had learned about tinkering from family members, the possibilities of cardboard had never occurred to her.

Someone told her a copy of a book, “The Further Adventures of Cardboard Carpentry: Son of Cardboard Carpentry,” was available near Boston, Massachusetts, close to where she usually lived. “I was a lunatic driving from Bangor to Boston,” Truesdell said.

As a building material, cardboard was strong and inexpensive and could

CREDIT GORDON WELTERS FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

RUTH FREMSON/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Jayoung Min, center, and You Young Min, right, worked on custom furniture at the Adaptive Design studio

be shaped. The shop makes several hundred pieces each year for specific children. A child at a table in a wheelchair might be seated so low that she could just get her chin over the top of it. In the school cafeteria, the bench where “everyone” sits is not much use for a child who needs support on either side. But a sturdy cardboard seat could slide onto the bench and break that barrier. “We want to open source everything,” Truesdell said.

“We’re encouraging people to copy and replicate. With credit.”

She has taken the program abroad. To pay for the operation in New York, Truesdell pieces together about 375,000 euros a year in grants and donations, and recruits artists for a fundraising project, Chairs for Humanity.

The work is done by design students and volunteers and people making a fresh start in life.

To build a soccer table board where children could use their hands, Amanda Parker, a fourthyear education student at New York University, collaborated with Vanessa Strubbe, an industrial design student at the University of Bridgeport, and Rodney Forte, a U.S. Navy veteran who is studying engineering. Parker, who was born with impairments to her speech and ability to walk, said she was acutely aware of how important the work is. “I have fi rsthand experience with how great adaptive technology can be,” she said.

VanDunk, who has worked as a horse trainer in Goshen, New York, is changing course. “I can remember saying when I was little, I always thought I would grow up to change the world,” she said. “Now I can change someone else’s world. And it’s nice that you can do that with something so simple.”

BAMAKO, Mali: The cash filled three suitcases: 5 million euros.

The German official charged with delivering this cargo arrived here aboard a nearly empty military plane and was whisked away to a secret meeting with the president of Mali, who had offered Europe a face-saving solution to a vexing problem.Officially, Germany had budgeted the money as humanitarian aid for the poor, landlocked nation of Mali.

In truth, all sides understood that the cash was bound for an obscure group of Islamic extremists who were holding 32 European hostages, according to six senior diplomats directly involved in the exchange.

The suitcases were loaded onto pickup trucks and driven hundreds of kilometers north into the Sahara, where the bearded fighters, who would soon become an official arm of alQaida, counted the money on a blanket thrown on the sand. The 2003 episode was a learning experience for both sides. Eleven years later, the handoff in Bamako has become a well-rehearsed ritual, one of dozens of such transactions repeated all over the world. Kidnapping Europeans for ransom has become a global business for al-Qaida, bankrolling its operations across the globe. While European governments deny paying ransoms, an investigation by The New York Times found that al-Qaida and its direct affiliates have earned at least 100 million euros in revenue from kidnappings since 2008, of which half was paid just in the past year.

In various news releases and statements, the US Treasury Department has cited ransom amounts that, taken together, put the total around 125 million euros during the same period. These

payments were made almost exclusively

by European governments, who funnel the money through a network of proxies, sometimes masking it as development aid, according to interviews conducted for this article with former hostages, negotiators, diplomats and government officials in 10 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The inner workings of the kidnapping business were also revealed in thousands of pages of internal al-Qaida documents found by this reporter in northern Mali last year.

“Kidnapping hostages is an easy spoil,” wrote Nasser al-Wuhayshi, the leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, “which I may describe as a profitable trade and a precious treasure.”

The stream of income generated is so significant that internal documents show that as long as five years ago, alQaida’s central command in Pakistan was overseeing negotiations for hostages grabbed as far afield as Africa.

Only a handful of countries have resisted paying, led by the United States and Britain. Although both these countries have negotiated with extremist groups - evidenced most recently by the United States’ trade of Taliban prisoners for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl - they have drawn the line when it comes to ransoms.

It is a decision that has had dire consequences. While dozens of Europeans have been released unharmed, few US or British nationals have gotten out alive. A lucky few ran away, or were rescued by special operations forces.

The rest were executed or are being held indefinitely. “The Europeans have a lot to answer for,” said Vicki Huddleston, the former US deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs, who was the ambassador to Mali in 2003 when Germany paid the first ransom. © 2014 New York Times News Service

MEMENTOS FROM CAPTIVITY: Items saved by Harald Ickler, a Swede living in Germany, from his 54 days as a hostage in 2003. He was on what he thought would be a four-week adventure vacation when he was kidnapped in the Algerian desert by jihadists who would soon become an official arm of Al Qaeda

© 2014 New York Times News Service

Biotechnology turns to the furred and four-legged Judging by some of the heavy action in the world of biotechnology, one could easily conclude that the industry is going to the dogs. Or cats, maybe.

There are startups named Nexvet and VetDC, CanFel Therapeutics (as in canine and feline), and even Fetch Pharma. It’s a new example of pack behaviour: Entrepreneurs with pedigrees from companies like Genentech and Amgen are now turning their attention to pets. They hope to develop the same kinds of innovative drugs for dogs and cats that have revolutionized the treatment of diseases like cancer and arthritis in people.

“We’ve been drugging ourselves for a long time and more recently we’ve been drugging our kids,” said Oleg Nodelman, an investor in and director of Kindred Biosciences, one of the new companies. “Why shouldn’t our pets have access to medicine?” They do already, of course. Many of the

big pharmaceutical companies have long had veterinary drug divisions.

Eli Lilly’s animal division, Elanco, for instance, sells the company’s Prozac antidepressant under the name Reconcile to treat canine separation anxiety. But the new entrepreneurs say they will be more nimble and do what the big companies are not doing, just as the early human medicine biotech companies did.

The big companies focus more on livestock - edible animals as opposed to petable animals, said Dr Steven St Peter, chief executive of Aratana Therapeutics, a pet biotech company. Their offerings for pets are mainly vaccines and treatments for fleas, ticks and worms.

The new companies hope instead to treat diseases like cancer and arthritis.

Many are trying to develop monoclonal antibodies, which are proteins made in living cells. Such antibodies, like Humira for rheumatoid arthritis and Herceptin for breast cancer, are huge sellers in human medicine but have had

(DAN GILL/THE NEW YORK TIMES)

BY ANDREW POLLACK

Steven St Peter, chief executive of Aratana Therapeutics, a pet biotech company, with his dog Flo, in Kansas City, Kan. Entrepreneurs now hope to develop the same kinds of innovative drugs for dogs and cats that have revolutionised the treatment of diseases like cancer and arthritis in people

almost no role so far in animal health. “I was really a little struck by the fact that the biotechnology industry didn’t really participate in animal health at all,” said St Peter, who was a life sciences venture capitalist before co-founding Aratana.

“There was this very large industry that was ripe for innovation.”

Investors seem to be biting, spurred in part by the interest generated by the huge initial public offering in early 2013 of Pfizer’s animal drug division, now called Zoetis. Since then both Aratana and Kindred have gone public, along with Phibro, which develops drugs for livestock, and Parnell, which sells both livestock and pet drugs.

Funds like Adage Capital, Baupost, Fidelity and Wellington are investors in one or more pet drug companies.

The new companies say the time is right because people increasingly view pets as members of the family and are willing to spend large amounts to treat a sick animal. Pets can get chemotherapy, knee surgery and transplants.

Moreover, there are drugs for people that can be adapted to treat the animal versions of diseases like arthritis, cancer, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and various psychological problems. In some cases, human drugs can be used directly in animals. But in other cases they cannot. For instance, some pain relievers like ibuprofen cause severe side effects in cats. In some cases the entrepreneurs are motivated by illnesses to their own pets. Some consolidation in the new industry has already begun. Aratana, which means “new” in Japanese, has acquired two other startups, Vet Therapeutics, which was developing antibodies, and Okapi, which was developing antiviral drugs.

Aratana has conditional regulatory approval for two antibodies to treat lymphoma in dogs. They have the same mechanisms of action as the human drugs Rituxan and Campath, respectively. Aratana plans to start marketing one of them in October. © 2014 New York Times News Service

TH E EDIT PAGE “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers.”

- Louis L’Amour

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

Editor’s pick

Journalism, as we see it, ought to be constructive and solutions-based. Presented below is the philosophy that drives this newspaper, a statement that we carried in our inaugural issue on June 21, 2014.

Must our media focus on the abnormal? dawn of understanding what kind of news they need in order to flourish,” says writer-philosopher Alain de Botton, trashing, what is given to you, dear reader, in the name of news.

The Golden Sparrow on Saturday which you hold in your hands today is a newspaper with a difference as you will notice, page by page. For us, a newspaper is not a bar of soap to be marketed like one, with an attractive wrapper and a lot of fluff within. Of course, it has to be well-designed and well-produced, but above all it has to be driven by a social commitment and integrity.

We pledge that we will not fool our readers or cheat them with unethical practises like “paid news”. Our advertorials will not be disguised as news but stated as such clearly.

The TGS is a People’s Paper. It is the community’s newspaper where each one of you has an opportunity and an open invitation to participate in the community’s conversations through our pages.

It may be noted that in this city of young start-ups and young entrepreneurs, this newspaper too has been launched by a 26-year-old entrepreneur committed to a better India. Our very unusual masthead is his creation, inspired by the legend Chanakya’s description of India as ‘soneki chidiya’.

We stand committed to journalism driven by values and principles and invite you to be a part of our family. Let The Golden Sparrow fly into your homes with news, views, ideas and more.

Pune’s garbage crisis: Janwani shows the way Once again, the villagers of Urali Devachi protested against the indiscriminate dumping of garbage at a dumping site near their village.

Apart from the serious pollution and stink caused by the dumping of Pune’s garbage at Urali Devachi, the ground water there has been polluted and a rash of skin and lung infections and health disorders get reported from time to time. The problem needs to be addressed urgently and effectively and this requires the participation of the citizenry of Pune. The well-known NGO Janwani, a social initiative of

the MCCIA has shown dramatic results by working with the PMC and others in the appropriate recycling and minimisation of garbage.

Janwani has demonstrated effective garbage segregation in 11 prabhags (electoral panels) of Pune, where, in a one year period, segregation increased from 45% to 73% eliminating the need for as many as 84 garbage containers.

This good work can be expanded and replicated for the rest of the city only with the willing cooperation and participation of the citizens.

Why we are called The Golden Sparrow This newspaper chose not to rest on clichéd titles. It seeks to make a distinct departure from the baggage of the past. It was in this air of freshness that the search for a new title began.

The Golden Sparrow stands inspired by the idea of India and the hopes and aspirations of the people of this land.

We are in search of accurate historical references that attribute the genesis of “golden sparrow” to the ancient Indian philosopher, strategist and economist Chanakya. That notwithstanding, certainly, legend and

folklore have it that it was Chanakya, who described the land of his birth as a “sone ki chidiya”- a golden sparrow.

India was famed for its glory in ancient times and this title is symbolic of the heights that India achieved in the various streams of human thought and endeavour. The Golden Sparrow credo says, strive to achieve greater heights in your chosen field, aspire for beauty, grace and perfection and contribute your mite to the well-being of the nation; to peace, prosperity and the idea of India.

Vol-1* lssue No.: 9 Printed and Published by: Shrikant Honnavarkar on behalf of Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Diligent Media Corporation Ltd, Plot No. EL-201, TTC Industrial Area, MIDC, Mahape, Navi Mumbai.

Published at Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt. Ltd. 1641, Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411 030, Tel: 020-2432 4332/33.

Editor: Abhay Vaidya (Responsible for the selection of news under the PRB Act, 1867)

Cartoon by: Keshav in the Hindu

Create prosperity as the real goal of devp

By Amit Kapoor Competitiveness is defined as the productivity with which a country’s uses its resources like land (natural resources), labour (human beings) and capital. Productivity is just not about efficiency and yield, it is about how much of the resources a nation/region is endowed with that the production process in able to cater to, in a given period of time. The productivity with which a nation utilises its natural resources determines its standard of living, which gets reflected in the per capita income of the population.

Central to the idea of productivity of utilisation of resources is the concept of firms/companies, which form the bedrock of prosperity for people. Firms may have different shareholding patterns, but ultimately their organisational ability to create value for a society is immense.

Also, productivity is not just defined by which industries a country competes in, but by how these companies choose to compete within those specific industries. A nation’s productivity is a reflection of the choices made by its companies with respect to the sectors they want to operate in, the value-addition that they do in these sectors and the efficiency with which they produce.

To understand these concepts in practice let us take the example of the two industries, pharmaceuticals and IT, in India and compare them to a different context - the US. An average software engineer or a pharmaceutical executive in US is at least 10 times more productive than his counterpart in India. It shows what people are expected to do and what they actually do in companies varies enormously across countries.

In the US, the value-addition done by industry is immense, the engineers focus on innovation that help in extracting better value. On the other hand, most engineers in the Indian context are engaged in support functions that give them limited scope for valueaddition, and their work in itself is very monotonous and simplistic. Also, with respect to the pharmaceutical industry, we rarely tend to focus on having patents and doing R&D for future competitiveness.

Companies tend to look at the short term and tend to focus on contract manufacturing for their European or US counterparts. This happens not because the potential of our engineers/executives is limited but

IANS

When the era of journalism began four centuries ago, the only way to attract attention in an otherwise mundane life was to report sensation. There was no radio, television, internet, mobile telephony, aggresive market competition or all-pervasive sex-laced advertising then to bring excitement into the lives of the people. One year resembled the next as the seasons changed and people went about their work in a life that moved slowly.

Although times have changed dramatically over the centuries, our media continues to focus on negativity and sensationalism. Everything that is sensational and negative is prime time news for the media - from the tragic act of an ayah flinging a child repeatedly on a sofa and hurting it brutally right down to the shouting and squabbling on television instead of an informed debate.

Newspapers are no different.

What is there to read and relish about negative and abnormal behaviour and the acts of sick minds? This was the question posed by former president APJ Abdul Kalam when he asked, why is the Indian media so negative?

The media is a powerful and highly influential vehicle of mass communication. And therefore, shouldn’t the media highlight what is positive, extraordinary, inspiring and insightful?

Shouldn’t the media promote the values of kindness, tolerance, harmony and cooperation among the people?

Shouldn’t the media be constructive instead of destructive?

“Modern societies are still at the

India’s future in a large measure will depend on how the government frees up the sectors to release the gales of creative destruction within various industries.

because our companies are focusing on the low end of the value creation process.

In India, where the wages are low, the companies typically focus on cost competitiveness by hiring cheap labor and make them do mundane jobs. Very few companies are bold enough to take up the challenge and work towards path breaking innovations.

This is true across industries. In the case of IT, we do outsourcing work while in the case of the pharma-

Is India truly free?

Dada JP Vaswani

and maintain the upward trend of their career graphs.

Where is the soul? That single Current reality? A Gallup Poll question, raised by Gurudev Sadfound that roughly 13% of the hu Vaswani decades ago expresses world’s adults wished to move to in just four words the million the U.S. Among them were numthoughts that must be overwhelmbered over 10 million Indians, who ing us when we face the state of this were not just content to move, but nation today. Where is the soul of to settle permanently in the U.S. our nation?

I am a great believer in personal The more I read his words, the freedom. I belong to a community more I am filled with how true they which has had seafaring, trade and ring today, years and years after he business in its veins and was rewrote them! I know we have come sponsible for opening a long way since then; I know we up the road to busihave made great progress. But ness and commercial have we changed for the better? progress centuries ago; The standard of living for a community which many Indians has improved by was forced under dire leaps and bounds; but has the circumstances to leave quality of life improved for us? the land of their birth I am an optimist; an inveterate, and to seek homes and incurable optimist! And I intend THINK livelihoods elsewhere. this to be a positive book. But it In those days, we did is not a work of fiction! Optimists not have terms like ‘global village’; are not free from the responsibility but we definitely felt that the world of being realists! A few years ago, was our home! the U.S. faced one of its worst ecoWe celebrate the 15 of August nomic downturns; there was talk of as Independence Day. India is free. a major recession and job losses and Is India truly free? India may be the it was foretold that India would be largest democracy in the world. Inthe new land of opportunity and dia is still caught in religious conthat the best Indian brains who had flict, ethnic violence, and Maoist made the U.S. their adopted counwarfare. Over the last sixty-seven try, might have to look homewards years, corruption has increased, if they wished to keep their jobs greed and selfishness have mul-

tiplied, fundamentalism has cascaded, and crime, unemployment have touched new heights. Today 30% of our people are below the poverty line. And 15% are unemployed and the great dream of an egalitarian, peaceful society is nowhere near realisation.

Can we say India is truly free?

No, because its people have fallen victim to selfishness and greed, because its leaders have still to learn, and imbibe the lesson of discipline, integrity and probity.

India will be truly free, when its people will learn to serve their motherland selflessly. They have to be ‘facilitators’ and not ‘grabbers’.

They have to be servants of society.

They have to be workers and labourers, soldiers, sipahis ready to give their all to the welfare of the country and its people.

“What India needs,” said my beloved Gurudev, “is soldiers to work for its peace.” It needs men and women who would be selfless, altruistic, humble, kind and sympathetic; men and women who would adopt the spiritual ideals of kindness and sympathy! How can my country be truly free and prosperous if one fraction of its people live in luxury and opulence while the majority live in poverty and deprivation?

ceutical industry we focus on contract manufacturing and generic sales. Rarely can we find examples of truly innovative enterprises.

This is in contrast to companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Tesla Motors and the like which have all emerged outside India, and that too in a country that does not really boast of indigenous talent that is readily and freely available in India. The challenge before India is really in finding winners in industries where value-addition is high and gets reflected in higher labour productivity. For this the institutions of education as well as the companies will have to alter their thinking for creation of societal value.

The view of creating prosperity by having innovative enterprises is in contrast to the view of creating value by exploiting natural resources and natural endowments a country has. Thus, there is a critical distinction between ‘created prosperity’ and ‘inherited prosperity’. The fundamental difference between these two paradigms is how companies approach the idea of competition. In ‘created prosperity’ view competition is welcomed as it forces companies to produce more innovative products and services, while in ‘inherited prosperity’ view, competition is limited resulting in monopolization or at best oligopolization.

India’s future in a large measure will depend on how the government frees up the sectors to release the gales of creative destruction within various industries. The companies in turn will have to embrace competition going ahead. Innovation should form the basis of long-term prosperity rather than government monopolization and control. If these choices are made by the government and companies, a large number of India’s young population will take their destinies in their own hands. That truly should be the real goal of development: Not to develop people just materially, but also in empowering them and providing them the means to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma Senior Researcher at Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness & Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. He can reached at amit.kapoor@ competitiveness.in and tweets @kautiliya)

Independence!

BY C Ravindranath

When there’s power without interruption And the end of all corruption When we don’t watch with mouths agape The lurid news of yet another rape When all can lead a peaceful life Without hatred, violence and strife When there’s no rampant greed That denies others of their need When we stop throwing our weight And opt instead, to go straight When there’s peace in the air And for our people, genuine care When everywhere, village or city We unite as one humanity Thence my friends, and only thence Will there be true independence.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

First Things First

Pursue your dreams with passion, hard work Bhushan Toshniwal, visually challenged and CA topper “No one can stop you from achieving your goal if you have a strong will, determination and dedication. I cleared the CA exam in the first attempt despite not having any books on accountancy subjects available in Braille. My parents used to read the books to me. Self-confidence is a pre-requisite for success. Every human being has strong and weak points. We should focus on our good qualities as it will help to achieve our aim. A person who is successful in his or her chosen field simultaneously helps in nation building.

(Bhushan Toshniwal, 27, works in a multinational firm as financial consultant. He lost his eyesight when he was 20 days old, due to retina detachment. An accomplished singer, Bhushan has won several awards at the Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav. He plays the violin and harmonium.)

Create records in adventure sports Shital Mahajan, skydiver and Padma Shri awardee As a child I used to dream of ‘flying like a bird’, and I realised it when I flew over Spain, using a wingsuit. I jumped from an aircraft at 13,000 ft and, making the most of my wingsuit, flew like a bird till I opened the chute at 4,000 ft and made a national record. Now I am helping those who are interested in this sport. I belong to a middle class family and faced opposition from my family regarding my career choice. Initially, I also did not get sponsors. Now, through my academy, I want to make this adventure sport popular in the country and Indians to make new records.”

(Shital Mahajan-Rane, 30, is a Padma Shri awardee and record holder in para jumping. The mother of twins balances her career and personal life. The Puneite is the only woman in the world to have jumped over the north and south poles.)

What does being responsible to the nation mean to you? Before that, what does being responsible to your family mean to you? What does being responsible to your city mean to you? What does being responsible to yourself mean to you?

Each one of us, in whatever station of life we may be in, can make a difference to the society and the people around us. As students, young professionals, teachers, businessmen...or simply as sensitive human beings.

The principle that applies is the same: first strengthen yourself from within, do your duty diligently towards your parents, family and society and contribute your mite to society...

Contributing to social welfare brings joy Indra Patwardhan, tennis player Donating the prize money that I get to people in need gives me immense satisfaction. My parents taught me to contribute to society and my mother says that it will help me become a good human being besides becoming a successful tennis player. Rather than buying new things for me from the money that I get by winning contests, I enjoy the smile on the face of needy kids. I believe that if we want to develop our nation, we must work together to reduce discrimination based on religion, race, caste, creed, sex, social status or language. Getting an equal chance and opportunity is everybody’s right.

(Pune-based Indra Patwardhan is ranked 700th in ITF under-18 category. He is a regular contributor to Identity Foundation, a Pune-based NGO that works for the underprivileged kids.

In 2009, he became the youngest donor of the organisation.)

Young India wants to break free Young Indians are vibrant and brimming with ideas. But are we willing to make sacrifices for a better future?

TEAM TGS We can do something for our country only if we strengthen ourselves.

Change without can happen only when there is change within. It is this change at an individual level that will eventually transform us into better citizens and a better people.

A mindset change is slowly sweeping the country. Th is nation of a billion strong will change for the better only when there is a mindset change in the masses. It is therefore

important to know what is in the minds of the youth today? Young India is vibrant with ideas. But is it willing to sacrifice, struggle and work hard for a better future?

The India of the 21st century is far different from the pre-liberalisation India of the 1980s and before. The techno-savvy post-liberalisation generation which is in their mid20s knows nothing of the licence raj and limited opportunities. They are far removed from the struggles of the 1980s and before, let alone

The techno-savvy post-liberalisation generation which is in their mid-20s knows nothing of the licence raj and limited opportunities

the hardships of the Independence movement!

Infusing the national spirit by their intense desire for change, young people of India are shaping the future of this nation with the strength of their numbers, the power of their ideas and the energy of their youth.

On the occasion of India’s 68th Independence Day today, we asked the youth what “responsibility towards the nation” meant to them.

We also asked some of our community leaders to spell out their expectations from today’s generations.

What they had to say is presented alongside on this page. editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com

Our expecations from the youth today 1

2

Maj Gen (rtd) SCN Jatar moral fibre & character ~ 1 Strengthen Maj Gen (rtd) SCN Jatar, social activist The Vimalabai Jatar Charitable Trust that I run offers interest-free loan scholarships for education in Australia, Europe, UK and the US. This initiative has given me an insight into what our country’s youth want.

I have noticed that people do not want to stay in the country. We have laid two conditions for sending students aboard: they have to settle down in India after completing their education and we do not give loans for computerrelated courses. Earlier, I would get around 500 applications in a year but the number has declined to 30 because of these conditions. I receive many requests to relax the rule of no migration.

The youth today only looks at materialistic things; they want to enjoy life and have nothing to do with the country. Their common complaint is that life is better off abroad.

My argument is that Americans made America, they did not run off to other countries.

Similarly, we have to make our own nation. The second aspect that needs to be adhered to is business ethics. I don’t think anybody in schools and colleges talks about it. Students are okay with bribery and corruption. They feel that if the person benefits from it then what is the harm.

3

Baba Adhav

Prof Shrikant Paranjape

For example, the villagers in Uruli are being bribed to keep shut about the garbage issue by promising them closed water canals and better roads. When I had a discussion with the youth on this, their first reaction was that if the villagers are happy then why bother. It is a win-win situation. It saddens me to see how the younger lot is money-oriented. The moral fabric and character of the youth today has to improve for our country’s bright future.

a crisis in terms of traditional modernity. There is a requirement for them to be a globalised citizen but rooted in tradition, and the present generation is dealing with it pretty well. They are capable of taking decisions regarding their future. The proliferation of media has armed them with more information and confidence to plan their future better. There is a definite plan in terms of what they want to do and what kind of life they want to lead. However, that they are increasingly becoming self-centred is understandable given the competition that they face today.

While being responsible and careerconscious are commendable, selfishness will become a problem in future. We cannot forget the fact that much of the innovations in economy, polity, technology and other fields are done by the youth, be it any generation. The youth are accepting challenges and running the things. So what is expected? If the youth give the best, they automatically serve the society.

My suggestion to the youth would be to do whatever they can in the best way possible.

Live with honour and 2 BerespectHonest, ~ Baba Adhav, social worker The Constitution of India covers all great values and the young generation should accept and follow it. They should read this supreme document that stipulates religious freedom, social equality and communal harmony. The youth should oppose oppression. They should earn money with honesty and live with dignity, honour and respect. to excel in your chosen field ~ Prof 3Strive Shrikant Paranjape, academician The challenges that the youth are facing now are different from ours. Every generation feels that their hardships are the worst. I think the youth are having more of a concern or rather

the young about our rich past 4 Educate ~ Madhavi Kapur, trustee, Amansetu What we need to do is to give the children of today a glimpse of the past. It is time we should

Let’s cherish our unity in diversity Nipun Dharmadhikari, theatre director There is so much we can do for the nation. Our actions should speak about our responsibility towards our nation. Firstly, we should be free of religion, creed and caste system. The progress of a nation depends on unity in diversity. We learnt this is school and it is time we emulate this is our day-to-day life. I do not follow any discrimination in my actions or behaviour. I try my best to treat everyone equally. In my work too I hope to present scripts and plays that talk about treating people equally with a dash of entertainment.

(Nipun Dharmadhikari is co-founder of Natak Company and director of many plays, including ‘Sangeet Manapman’ and ‘Geli 21 Varsha’) (With inputs from Anjali Shetty, Archana Dahiwal, Ashish Phadnis, Gitesh Shelke and Ishani Bose)

With education, youth can promote true national integration

Religion is a means to worship the Almighty, not to divide people

BY AYUSH JOSHI

of being a human and an Indian.

Take the case of the riots in A melting pot of different cultures and Muzzafarnagar, UP. This outrage was 4 traditions; a nation with one voice but provoked by a road accident and an eve different mother tongues where one can teasing incident. Certainly, these matters witness multifarous religious practices and would have been solved in a more people from all these different backgrounds peaceful way if both the people involved living together with tranquility… belonged to the same community.

We can go on exulting about the Sadly such violence is not just related unity of our nation; things to religion but also to a taught to us from a very person’s appearance, state young age of how, despite and ethnicity. The death so much diversity, we are of the innocent northable to co-exist peacefully. eastern boy Nido Taniam But is this the complete depicts this shallow truth or are we just being thinking encrypted in Madhavi Kapur superficial about this? some of our minds. We Most of us, as citizens are living in an ossified get them to honour our past and realise that our of this diverse nation have society where instead nation is standing on the shoulders of giants. done a commendable Ayush Joshi of looking at each other They should not be taking our freedom for and credible job in as Indians, we look at granted. As the older generation, it is our role maintaining its integrity. the religion, caste and to educate children and the youth about our However, some of the appearance of the person past which will help them realise the value of recent incidents of before us, not knowing freedom and democracy and act accordingly. communal riots and that the only thing that Unless we honour our past we can’t preach it racism in our nation show should differentiate to the present generation. This should be done a contrasting picture us is being a good or a from the heart and not only through textbooks. out. There are numerous bad citizen. We, as the The youth today are motivated and committed. examples that point to a young generation with They know how to look after themselves and at deep-rooted mentality in a fresh thinking have the same time be responsible to the nation too. our system as the reason the potential to break for this disruption. this barrier and bring We are unable to unity both in our minds instil the true meaning and our hearts and the YOUNG of religious identity to only way we can bring INDIA IN our children. Instead this change is through of teaching them education.

NUMBERS that religion is their We need to inculcate way of learning about the world, in young minds that duty towards our A nation of 1.25 billion with humanity and the almighty, we nation is larger than religion, caste, • 65% population below 35 years burden them with the expectation colour and other such divisive factors.

• 50% population below 25 years • 150 million, first-time voters in 18-23 of blindly following others, All of us need to work together without treating religion as an asset that animosity towards one another and work age-group in 2014 general polls they have to protect and fight for. for a more meaningful purpose, beyond • The ambitious post-1991 generation This results in ignorance the narrow confines of religion for the of young adults can drive change towards people of different faiths future of a better and united India.

• Good governance and good and beliefs. This feeling of animosity infrastructure need of towards others is deeply incorporated in (Ayush Joshi is a first year B Tech the hour our minds and we forget our real identity student at VIT College )

“We, as the young generation with fresh thinking have the potential to break barriers”

MONEY MATT ER S “I give you my commitment, that by the end of the year, Jet Airways will have the best domestic full service product in the country.”

- Naresh Goyal, chairman, Jet Airways

Signposts Maha civic bodies can levy octroi or local body tax The Maharashtra government has permitted civic bodies to exercise the option of selecting either octroi or the local body tax, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Wednesday. This would set at rest all controversies surrounding the implementation of proposed LBT for Mumbai, though it has already been introduced in around two dozen civic bodies in the state.

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has decided to continue with octroi in view of the strong opposition to LBT, Chavan said. “The MCGM earns `6,000-7,000 crore income from octroi each year and is not keen on implementing LBT. The government cannot permit the choice to select only to one civic body, so the same will be applicable to others (local bodies) as well,” Chavan declared. IANS

Pune’s Shubham Karoti barred from raising public funds Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred Pune-based Shubham Karoti Foods Pvt Ltd and its two directors from mobilising money from investors and launching any new scheme.

The capital market regulator found that the company was collecting funds from common people in Silvassa through certain food schemes without due authorisation.

The Pune-based company is stated to be engaged in the business of food products including tea, groundnut, soya oil, mineral water, among others in Maharashtra.

@moneylife

‘US, Singapore, UK strategically important for Indian corporates’ The BNY Mellon’s survey, covering 700 respondents across 63 countries, show that the number one investor relations goal for companies in India over the next five years is to increase international shareholder ownership

New sources of investment over the next five years Ranking

#1

US @ 92%

#2

SINGAPORE @ 89%

#3

UK @ 79%

#4

HONGKONG @ 76%

#5

INDIA @ 72% *BNY Mellon's report

WASHINGTON: Indian corporates consider the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom as the top three most strategically important countries for new sources of investment over the next five years, according to a new survey.

Indian corporates ranked the US as the number one country (92 per cent), closely followed by Singapore (89 per cent) and the United Kingdom (79 per cent), according to BNY Mellon’s Global Trends in Investor Relations Survey with an India focus; Hong Kong (76 per cent) and India (72 per cent) complete the top five.

In 2012, India topped the table as the most strategically important source of new investment (72 per cent) - a slide of five places to fifth in 2013.

“While Indian companies continue to raise money at home, there has been an acute shift in their geographical outlook towards international investment lately,” observes Neil Atkinson, BNY Mellon’s Asia-Pacific head of depositary receipts.

“Narendra Modi swept to power in India’s general elections in May on the promise of reviving the country’s economy. Accordingly, India could be poised for economic and financial reform which could make it easier for Indian

By Rohit Shah

corporates to access competitively priced international capital,” Atkinson said.

Results from BNY Mellon’s survey show that the number one investor relations goal for companies in India over the next five years is to increase international shareholder ownership (66 per cent). This is significantly higher than respondents worldwide that reported the same goal (46 per cent).

“OTC non-capital-raising DRs will soon be a new channel for Indian corporates following the Government’s recent decision to accept the proposals made by the MS Sahoo Committee.

“This development is timely and

target of 30 per cent here to leave some room for a comfortable saving target.

This 30 per cent ceiling should include all your EMIs including home loan, personal loan, auto loan, gold loan, personal loan and others. If your liability commitments are over 40 per cent, then review your balance sheet and see if there is a way you can prepay any of your expensive liabilities.

If you have assets earning sub-optimal returns and you are repaying expensive loans, then again you are losing. If you have high liabilities, then focus on reducing the cost of your borrowings. Treat this as a project, take off from work for few days and focus on restructuring.

Have you every wondered about your financial health? Have you asked yourself questions like: Do I spend too much? Do I invest wisely?

Am I protected adequately against financial risks?

So how does one go about balancing one’s personal finances? One way to do it is with the 30:10 rule of measuring personal finances. This means that when one earns `100 as a take home salary, `30 must be first saved, another `30 can go towards servicing of liabilities, `30 can go towards all expenses and `10 can be for risk management i.e. insurance.

Before we go deeper, let’s first be clear that every family has a unique situation when it comes to money and these are only broad guidelines that may or may not apply to you.

Invest what you save Keeping your savings in a saving

AUGUST 15, 2014

bank account earning 4 per cent interest is no good, especially with inflation consistently at above 7 per cent. As a best practice, you must invest all what you save towards a goal, keeping in mind your asset allocation.

The ideal ratio here is 100 per cent of what you save must be invested. If you are starting and not sure about your cash flow projections, then start by investing 80 per cent of what you are expected to save, watch for few months and then finalise.

We have seen clients committing to investment of 110 per cent of their expected savings, which is another way to optimize on your expenses.

Restrict expenses to 30 per cent Across all your expenses categories, you should target not exceeding 30 per cent of your income. Based on your lifestyle and the stage of life you are in, this can be more or less.

Normally, we have noticed that lifestyle expenses are about 25 per cent to 40 per cent of household expenses, as a best practice. So what do you do if you believe your expenses are on a higher side?

One good way is to categorise your spends as Discretionary and Mandatory. Now, see if you can question, avoid, defer or reduce the discretionary expenses. You can start with a 10 per cent cut across all expenses. You can do a pare to analysis, ask for 10 per cent discounts on your large spends or at least 10 per cent more quantity at the same price.

Ask yourself if you had 10 per cent less money in your hand, which are the expenses you would skip?

Cap your EMIs to 30 per cent Normally your EMIs could be around 40 per cent of your earnings.

We suggest a slightly conservative

PUNE

“Three factors — land, natural resources, and government contracts or licences — are the predominant sources of the wealth of our billionaires.”

-Raghuram Rajan, governor, Reserve Bank of India

How the 30:10 rule could help you manage your personal finance better

Save at least 30 per cent Usually we first pay all expenses, service liabilities and then save what is left. The secret to get rich is to do the opposite. Following the principle of paying yourself first, one needs to save before spending.

A person in their mid 30s, married with two kids and has a home loan is expected to save about 30 per cent of the income. For example: we have noticed NRI clients saving up to 70 per cent of what they earn.

If a person is young, single, just started earning and is still staying with parents, then the savings potential can be as high as 70 per cent, since expenses are low.

For someone in their late twenties or early thirties who is just married and bought a house, only about 20 per cent of their earnings may be saved.

However, these scenarios can change based on one’s situation.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

Invest up to 10 per cent in risk management To grow your finances, stay protected. Look at the areas where you have financial exposure and take steps to mitigate them. Between your Health, Life, Personal Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Daily Cash Insurance, your annual premium should be around 10 per cent of your annual take home income. You should include all insurance premium for all family members, including those dependent on you.

We consider only pure term plans so if you are invested in traditional or Ulip plans then your expenses may be higher. Admittedly, we have seen a very wide variance here. We have seen cases from zero per cent to 22 per cent spending on insurance.

If your insurance spend is very high, it may be an indication that you have expensive policies or you may be over protected.

The writer is a member of The Financial Planners’ Guild, India,is the Founder & CEO at www.gettingyourich.com and a SEBI registered Investment Advisor.

(Copyright: Firstpost.com)

could be significant to a large share of Indian companies seeking to increase their international ownership and with investor sentiment toward India buoyant. We may see more Indian companies using DRs to access global markets in 2015,” forecasts Atkinson.

BNY Mellon’s report is based on survey results from nearly 700 respondents across 63 countries that span the range of market cap and industry sectors, including financials, industrials, consumer, technology and healthcare, according to a media release.

IANS

Nifty, Sensex will push higher, subject to dips

BY MONEYLIFE DIGITAL TEAM Although the domestic indices managed to close in the positive for the third consecutive session, the trading on the bourses on Wednesday was quite volatile. The market sentiments may have been affected by the weak data of July consumer price inflation and June factory output, given after-market hours on Tuesday.

The data from Japan and China may have added to intraday weakness.

The market was supported by a stronger opening in Europe and expected firmness in the US markets.

The S&P BSE Sensex opened lower at 25,861 and NSE’s CNX Nifty too opened in the negative at 7,717.

Sensex moved between the range of 25,792 and 25,973 and closed at 25,919 (up 38 points or 0.15 per cent). Nifty moved between 7,696 and 7,757 and closed at 7,740 (up 13 points or 0.16 per cent). The NSE recorded huge volume of 99.39crore shares. India VIX rose 2.19 per cent to close at 13.7625.

Among the other indices on the NSE, the top five gainers were FMCG (2.19 per cent), Pharma (0.95 per cent), IT (0.82 per cent), MNC (0.35 per cent) and Auto (0.10 per cent). The top five losers were Realty (5.42 per cent), Smallcap (3.34 per cent), PSU Bank (3.20 per cent), Media (3.10 per cent) and Nifty Midcap 50 (2.37 per cent).

Of the 50 stocks on the Nifty, 19 ended in the green. The top five gainers were HCL Technologies (2.89 per cent), ITC (2.79 per cent), Hindustan Unilever (2.45 per cent), HDFC (2.36 per cent) and Sun Pharma (2.28 per cent). The top five losers were BHEL (6.51 per cent), Bank of Baroda (4.51 per cent), DLF (4.10 per cent), Coal India (3.47 per cent) and Hindalco (3.40 per cent). @moneylife

Debt Schemes RIP? Privileged but wrong taxation has been redressed and FMP, a flawed product, will die, as it should have long ago

by R BALAKRISHNAN Privileged but wrong taxation has been redressed and FMP, a flawed product, will die, as it should have long ago Debt schemes of mutual funds (MFs) have apparently turned unattractive, with the government changing the tax applicable to them.

Fixed maturity plans (FMPs), liquid schemes and income schemes are now virtually fully taxed, if you redeem within three years. Even if you stay invested for 36 months, be ready to fork out 20 per cent of the gains (adjusted for indexation) to the taxman. In effect, the government has made it unattractive for you to put money into debt mutual fund schemes.

So what does one do? Is there a better route available? The listed bonds market looks better, on paper.

However, in reality, the secondary market for bonds is very thin and a retail investor will not be able to sell.

He may be able to buy as some big investor warehouses the bonds and sells it in small chunks to retail investors, but selling would be tough.

So, as a retail investor, you are left with the option of a corporate fixed deposit (FD) versus a bank FD versus a debt scheme. It becomes easier to compare the pre-tax returns across this small universe. Often, if the amount is small, it is easier to park the money in a bank FD and sleep peacefully. No point putting money in a mutual fund which will also charge its annual fee plus expenses of 1.5 per cent every year, irrespective of any return to you. Since they may also invest in high-risk corporate debt, you are risking your capital.

In addition, mutual funds run the

risk of their NAV (net asset value) changing each day. With no signs of inflation coming under control, it is a moot point whether interest rates will decline significantly. In such a situation, we are gambling with the ability of a fund manager to keep the principal amount intact.

The dividend option in the debt schemes has been killed as well. The dividend distribution tax (DDT), which is paid by the scheme, now works out to 39.52 per cent and is higher than your normal income-tax rate! There would also be an impact on balanced schemes. They would now have to invest a minimum of 65 per cent, on a constant basis, in equities, to avoid falling into the trap of a debt scheme.

I have always been in favour of balanced schemes and this decision by the government makes it easier to opt for balanced schemes, if the time horizon for investment is three to five years.

Frankly, income schemes never generated any predictable returns. Only those who could time their entry and exit got some decent returns. Otherwise, in most cases, the returns lagged those of bank FD. As per my records, the ‘best’ return in this category, over five years, was 9 per cent pa (per annum) and the average returns were around 7 per cent pre-tax!

FMPs, in a way, are high-risk products and are lucky to have survived so far. For the salaried employee (not earning crores of rupees), the attractiveness of the PPF (public provident fund) is very strong. A return of over 8.5 per cent pa—that too, tax free! Please use the limit of `1.50 lakh @moneylife fully, every year.

As a retail investor, you are left with the option of a corporate FD vs bank FD vs a debt scheme

SPORTS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2014

PUNE

“Tiger Woods is an injured player who is not playing well and he has not necessarily been the formula for success either. I just don’t see how you can pick him at this point.”

- Former US Ryder Cup team captain Paul Azinger

Signposts First round exit for Bopanna-Qureshi

Rugby returns to Youth Olympic NANJING: Rugby will make its return to the Olympic programme after 92 years at the second Youth Olympic Games scheduled to open here Saturday in the form of rugby sevens ahead of its reappearance at the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro in 2016.

In 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members voted to readmit the sport to the Olympic programme. The sport was last played at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. At Nanjing, 144 young players will participate in the six men’s and women’s teams in the rugby competition.

Tang Joo takes lead in RFC, India rally GOA: Malaysian driver Tang Eng Joo, with co-driver Tan Choon Hong, took the lead in the Force Gurkha Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India, overtaking Mervyn Lim, with Hamizan Bin Abdul Hamid, after the six Special Stages (SS) of Predator category here. In his factory modified Force Gurkha, Lim had led the RFC for the first 12 SS of the Prologue class but Joo, also driving a Gurkha, snatched the opportunity of going ahead Tuesday.

Indian shooters, the biggest beneficiary of govt grants

NEW DELHI: With shooters bringing laurels at major international meets, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has emerged as the biggest beneficiary of government grants in the last three years.

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in a reply to a query in the Lok Sabha, presented a detailed report of the funds allocated to the National Sports Federations (NSFs) in the last three years. In 2013-14, the NRAI topped the list with a grant of Rs1,960.68 crore.

NRAI was followed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with Rs1429.12 crore, while Hockey India (HI) was third on the list with a grant of Rs.1268.19 crore.

The shooters are bringing laurels at all major sports events. In the 2012 London Olympics, pistol shooter Vijay Kumar win the gold medal and rifleman Gagan Narang bagged the silver. Indian shooters also won 17 medals, including three gold medals, in last month’s Commonwealth Games.

In the last three years, NRAI got a total of Rs.3,962.15 crore in government grants -- the maximum by any NSF. Hockey India (HI) was second with a total grant of Rs.3,642.39 crore.

The WFI also got a total grant of Rs.3,104.16 in the last three years and it was reflected in the performance of the wrestlers in international events.

Sushil Kumar and Yogehwar Dutt won silver and bonze medals, respectively, in the 2012 London Games. Sushil, who also has a bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games, is the only Indian athlete to win two individual Olympic medal. The wrestlers also put up a great show in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games winning 13 medals including five golds.

IANS

BY ASHIS RAY

Virat Kohli’s inability to adopt a side-on approach to Anderson, with his left toe pointing towards extra cover and not mid-off when negotiating outswing off the front foot, has been his undoing; but his record in Australia and South Africa (where, admittedly, the ball doesn’t swing as much as in England and cricket is played with balls with less pronounced seams) and in New Zealand indicates he possesses class, which is permanent even if form is temporary.

LONDON: After two terribly disappointing cricket Test matches - especially the last one that ended at Old Trafford, Manchester Saturday, a 1-2 deficit in the series and only one more encounter yet to come, India have no alternative other than to pull out all stops in pursuit of squaring the series against England.

It is, of course, easier said than done, but coach Duncan Fletcher has got to re-motivate his wards to make a final, face-saving effort. An overwhelming majority in the current Indian squad arrived in England this summer sans the scars of the 2011 whitewash. But after the reverse at Southampton and now the drubbing at Old Trafford, they are wounded as well.

Yet, all is not lost. The present lot of Englishmen are not world beaters. If India get their act together in batting, including finding an answer to James Anderson (who may not be as incisive at The Oval as at Old Trafford and could also be tiring), turning the tables is not impossible.

The Indians must, though, erase the memory of the last two tests, think of it as a bad dream and focus on what they did right in the second Test, which they won.

Coach Fletcher’s primary task is to concentrate on his batsmen. Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have demonstrated they have the potential to prosper. They left the ball outside their off-stump in a most efficient manner at Lord’s. This they need to replicate.

The Indians must, though, erase the memory of the last two tests, think of it as a bad dream and focus on what they did right in the second Test, which they won Since India have given Shikhar Dhawan a fair trot and now opted for Gautam Gambhir, who was, it has to be said, thrown into the deep end in the challenging conditions of Old Trafford in the Indian first innings after a month without any match practice, they may as well persevere with him in the hope that he will shine as he once did in New Zealand.

At The Oval, London, England’s oldest Test ground, wickets in August have historically been good for batting, except for a little life for quicker bowlers on the first morning and for spinners on the last one-and-half days. And as of now, there is no forecast of rain during the match, other than on the

fourth day.

In such circumstances, India must gamble in order to try and level the contest.

If they replace Ravindra Jadeja with a faster bowler - Ishant Sharma automatically, if he is physically fit - they would be well equipped for a wicket with a bit of grass and moisture, which the curator under guidance from the England and Wales Cricket Board could be persuaded to retain.

IANS

A women’s wrestling revolution in Haryana

BY ABHISHEK ROY BALALI: The dusty village of Balali in Haryana, barely 10 km from the national capital, was not too long ago up in arms when three sisters from the Phogat family took to wrestling, saying it was against local tradition. Today, the village is mighty proud of the siblings who have brought about something of a social revolution in a state infamous for gender discrimination and honour killings.

In 2010, Balali’s Geeta Phogat gave India the first gold medal from the sport at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Four years later, her sisters Babita Kumari and Vinesh won gold medals in Glasgow to make the family proud and famous.

In fact, the Glasgow Games could easily be termed a landmark event as six of the 13 medals from wrestling came from women. Silver medallists Lalita, Geetika Jakhar and Sakshi Malik hail from Haryana while bronze medal winner Navjot Kaur is from neighbouring Punjab.

With three gold medals in the family, the Phogat sisters are not only the toast of the nation but are also being hailed by the same villagers who once objected furiously to Mahavir Singh Phogat, himself a former state-level wrestler, taking Geeta and Babita to the ‘akhada’ (wrestling pit).

The youngest of the Phogat sisters, 20-year-old Vinesh, who is Mahavir’s niece, credits the change in the mindset of people in the village to Geeta’s triumph in 2010.

“Though we came from a family of wrestlers, there were objections from the villagers. But thanks to Geeta didi’s success I didn’t face any problems.

By the time I took up the sport, Geeta didi had made her mark in Indian sport. So, thanks to her, now the villagers see us as role models for their

IANS

Weightlifers and hockey players follow NRAI

Indians mustn’t lose heart

A part of the game?

BY VETURI SRIVATSA

IANS

CINCINNATI: India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Pakistani partner Aisam-UlHaq Qureshi suffered a first round exit at the Western and Southern Open tennis. Unseeded Bopanna and Qureshi went down 5-7, 2-6 to Vasek Pospisil of Canada and Jack Sock of the US here Tuesday. Sock and Pospisil will not face the fifth seeded pair of Leander Paes of India and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the second round. Paes and Stepanek got a bye in the first round.

“When I was back from England, everyone was discussing my absence in Delhi. It was a family emergency that kept me away.”

- Sachin Tendulkar

Humour has no barrier, so long as certain un-parliamentary words are uttered in jest. When a Test cricketer unleashes a barrage of invectives against an opponent when they were leaving the field after a hard session, it is not banter, it is unacceptable foul mouth.

In the usage and abusage guide to good English of the Australian judicial commissioner appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to go into the charge and counter-charge made by India’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the canny England fast bowler James Anderson, the Lancastrian’s language may be perfectly refined, but it is repugnant and unacceptable in most civilised places.

Importantly, Anderson did not dispute his calling Jadeja a “f***ing prick” and “f***ing c***,” nor did he have anything to offer in justification to say that he would “break Jadeja’s teeth.”

Yet, Judge Gordon Lewis possibly dismissed the outburst as a normal reaction of fast bowlers!

Former England player and now a TV commentator David Lloyd goes back to the era when there were no ICC match referees and refers to the highly volatile Fred Trueman and Dennis Lillee and there was no ‘mummy mummy he’s pushed me’ in those days. To rub it in, Lloyd reminds that the Indian players may be mega superstars in their own country, but not in England. There is one lesson for the Indian players. They should brush up their English to use flowery language on the field of play and see whether it is acceptable to the “highbrow” Englishmen, match referees and ICC legal eagles.

The question is whether the Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan players use the language Anderson used on the field? The ICC has to answer it.

IANS

New Indian chess federation chief has ambitious plans

BY VENKATACHARI JAGANNATHAN

of the Tamil Nadu Chess Association (TNCA).

Queried about his agenda for CHENNAI: The All India Chess the Indian chess, Raja said: “There Federation (AICF) is mulling ways is nothing called my agenda. We at to ensure the country’s teams perform the federation work as a team. After consistently at world events, to get more the election of new office-bearers we than one player into the world top-20 held a meeting and had preliminary and glamourise the sport to attract discussions on taking the game forward sponsors, its new president has said. in India.”

“I am also open to meet the According to him, there is a good players and hear their number of chess views and concerns. The grandmasters and communication channels international masters in between the players India now to prove that and the federation are the system is good. The always open,” AICF next step is to see that chief Venketrama Raja these players reach the PR told IANS in an next level and above, interview. One of the Raja said, adding that issues deliberated recently apart from Anand, the at the AICF, Raja said, federation would like is to make Indian teams to see at least one more perform consistently at player in the top 20. world team events.

There are many When it was pointed Indian players with out that the country’s FIDE rating points - V Raja PR top chess players are in the range of 2,550not in the Indian Chess 2,630; they are finding Olympiad squad, Raja it hard to break the said the federation cannot force players 2,650 mark mainly for want of highto participate. He said if the system of rated tournaments. selecting the Indian teams for global Queried whether AICF could events like the Olympiad needs to be organise really high-rated tournaments tweaked, it could be looked at. where high-ranked players of the world Raja, the vice chairman and would come and play - similar to the managing director of enterprise Tata Steel tournament - he said funding resource planning (ERP) software is one major problem as the federation is company Ramco Systems Ltd, is not not cash rich. new to the chess world. The Ramco Attracting sponsors is also not an group has assisted several players and easy job as chess, as of now, is more sponsored chess tournaments. The an internet rather than a television group had sponsored Indian chess game. And how much revenue one can Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand, generate from online is not known, currently the World No 7. Prior to his Raja said. current position, Raja was president IANS

“There is nothing called my agenda.

We at the federation work as a team.”

Phogat sisters - Geeta and Babita on their arrival from Commonwealth Games

kids,” Vinesh told IANS. When reminded of Haryana’s notorious female foeticides, Vinesh cited the example of her family.

“I think my family is a classic example to all those who feel a girl child is a curse. We have proved that nothing is impossible. I sincerely hope that our success reaches out to more and more people and can change their mindset,” said Vinesh, the winner of the freestyle 48kg gold.

Babita, who also won the gold medal in the 55kg section, agreed with her cousin.

“The Commonwealth Games have

proved that we are no less than the male wrestlers. Out of 13 medals that Indian won, the female wrestlers won six. This is a big improvement in the last four years,” said 24-year-old Babita, who had won the silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

This time in Glasgow, Babita was determined to win the gold.

“The preparations were good and I was determined to win the gold. Women wrestlers are going from strength to strength and the Glasgow Games have given us the confidence that now we are destined for bigger things,” said Babita.

IANS

SPORTS “The World Champions like Spassky, Karpov, Kasparov and many others first hit the limelight as World junior Champs.”

- GM Viswanathan Anand

Pune to host World Junior Chess in Oct PUNE: Pune is all set to host the prestigious World Junior Chess Championship (WJCC) 2014 from Oct 5-20 where 250 players from 65 countries including Grandmasters and International Masters are expected to participate in the 15-day event to be held at Hotel Hyatt, Viman Nagar.

The tournament will feature two categories - the open category and the girls’ category. It will be conducted in the Swiss League format comprising 13 rounds with one round being played each day. The winner in both these categories will be conferred the title of Grandmaster (GM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and, will automatically qualify for the forthcoming World Cup, which is part of the World Championship Cycle.

The winners will also take home a cash prize of Rs 6 lakh. As a special recognition, the best Indian performers in both the sections will be presented with the Pune Mayor’s trophy.

PUNE: Senior technical officials of Pune District Metropolitan Badminton Association (PDMBA), Sudip Barve and Vinay Joshi have been nominated by BWF to work as technical officials at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, China.

Sudip Barve will officiate as umpire. He has worked as an international umpire for four years, while Joshi will work as line judge. He was technical official during the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, Scotland.

Is Sachin Tendulkar too busy to attend Rajya Sabha sessions?

MALAY DESAI @malayD

Puneri Paltan’s poor defense has been a worrying factor for coach Ramphal Kaushik

Uphill task for Paltans TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly PUNE: The Puneri Paltan team have raised expectations after their second victory against Bengal Warriors at their home ground in Balewadi, but their prospects of reaching the top four look dim.

The team owned by Insurekot Sports, a Mumbai-based firm is still at the bottom with just 14 points from eight matches. U Mumba is leading the table with six wins and 37 points from nine matches,

followed by Bengaluru Bulls with 26 points. With just six matches in hand, the Paltan can reach a respectable finish if they win all of them.

But, despite having one of the best coaches in India, Ramphal Kaushik, and captain Wazir Singh, who has a long and distinguished record in the sport, the Pune team had troubles in converting close matches into concrete wins. The disastrous performance of the defenders has also being their bane.

“No team can win a single

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A double century of absence

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AUGUST 15, 2014

“I always play with No10 jersey right from the beginining of my career. I know the reputation of that number and have always put my best efforts for my team.”

- Kabaddi player Pravin Newale

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

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match with such defenders. Even after getting a good lead and best game from the raiders, they can’t defend a single point. We have to take lots of efforts on that,” said Pravin Newale after their loss to Telgu Titians on Tuesday.

Talking about the stats, only skipper Vazir Singh has managed to get into top 10 list of raiders with 45 points, while Mahipal Narwal who also acts as a raider is at joint 10th place with six others in the top defenders list. editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com

The endless toil that was invested into the making of Sachin Tendulkar, the cricketer, is perhaps similar in measure to that which has gone into securing his reputation. His determined, dogged approach to keeping his public image steadfast and squeaky-clean served him well throughout his career, and the process goes on now after his retirement too. The latest chapter in his book of image management was his presence at the Commonwealth Games felicitation function in Delhi last week.

A day prior to this, a report stated that Tendulkar had attended just three sessions out of 230 held at the Upper House of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, to which he was nominated in April 2012.

Of course, there are other notable absentees as well, such as actor Rekha, but much of the criticism and debate was only about Tendulkar. If a similar report had appeared about Amitabh Bachchan or Priety Zinta, they would have promptly turned to social media for explanations or clarifications. But Sachin’s ways are beyond 140 characters.

At the CWG contingent’s felicitation at Vigyan Bhavan, 2.3 kilometres from the Parliament House, Tendulkar gave out awards to the medal winners (not all of whom made it to the newsprint because, well, Sachin did), launched a new logo of the Sports Authority of India and made his statement: “My absence in Delhi has been discussed rather too much. I don’t mean to disrespect any institution” .. “but just to let you know, my elder brother Ajit had to undergo a bypass surgery and I had to be by his side.”

Soon, Tendulkar’s official leave request reached the Deputy Chairman of the House, stating the same in formal terms, and it was approved, of course after noise from some members, including lyricist Javed Akhtar.

In June this year, Sachin attended the Wimbledon, as he has in the past. He returned to London in July to play an exhibition match celebrating Lord’s bicentenary, and later attended compatriot Yuvraj Singh’s charity dinner as also the fi rst day of India’s cricket test versus England at the iconic venue. He was a guest at the National Sports Centre of India, Mumbai, on day one of the inaugural Pro Kabaddi League.

Later this year, I assume he will also take time out to attend games of the Indian Super League (football) and International Tennis Premier League (IPTL), for he owns franchises in both.

The provision of appointing distinguished persons such as Tendulkar to the Rajya Sabhais to help the government get rich perspectives in their areas of expertise, bypassing the mud and tumble of electoral politics.

And like all MPs, nominated members also get Rs five crores annually for development work in their area.

Assuming Sachin has received a purse of Rs ten crores of public money until now, we are not sure we have heard about him spending any of it in Bandra, Mumbai or Maharashtra. The number of ‘questions asked’ in Parliament during this tenure, of course, remains zero too.

Next week, a leading publisher is likely to make a launch announcement about Tendulkar’s ‘autobiography’, penned by journalist Boria Majumdar.

No prizes for guessing whether it will be another perfect, shapely brick in Tendulkar’s wall of reputation.